Press Releases

by Raymond J. Keating- After two reports came out on August 5 indicating that manufacturing showed some life in July, including the Institute for Supply Management’s report on the manufacturing sector, ISM’s report on the services sector also pointed to recovery continuing in July. The ISM services index, as noted in the report, “registered 58.1 […]

To sum things up, during the first two quarters of 2020, $2 trillion (in 2012 dollars) of real GDP was wiped out. Real GDP in the second quarter stood at basically the same level where GDP was at the start of 2015 – that is, five years ago. That’s the hole out of which we […]

In a July 29 Morning Consult Op-ed, SBE Council president & CEO Karen Kerrigan offers the view that members of Congress participating in the U.S. House Judiciary, Subcommittee on Antitrust hearing on “Big Tech” may want to explore the significant benefits of online platforms for small businesses and our economy, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis.  […]

by Raymond J. Keating- While the hole remains deep, after massive drop offs in both March and April, durable goods orders are trying to claw back with some growth in May and June, as evidenced the latest durable goods report from the U.S. Census Bureau. But when it comes to capital goods – that is, […]

NEWS For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. – Today, Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate introduced their Phase 4 package – the Health; Economic Assistance; Liability Protection; and Schools Act (HEALS Act). Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) president & CEO Karen Kerrigan issued the following statement about several small-business related measures in the package […]

NEWS For Immediate Release July 24, 2020 Washington, D.C. – Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) president & CEO Karen Kerrigan issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) regarding an International Price Index (IPI) for drugs (“most favored nation”), which imposes foreign-based price controls on U.S. pharmaceuticals: “Many countries […]

by Raymond J. Keating- The initial jobless claims numbers grew worse during the latest week for which we have data. For good measure, a broader look at the labor force shows that the overall unemployment picture is much worse than the topline reported data would indicate. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, initial jobless […]

NEWS For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. – Today, the Trump Administration issued a final rule to modernize 40-year old regulations that will improve and accelerate environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The final rule will serve to streamline environmental reviews under NEPA so that infrastructure can be built in a timely, efficient […]

In a July 15 Morning Consult Op-ed, SBE Council president & CEO Karen Kerrigan warns small business owners about trolling activity that could limit the availability of the mobile devices they have come to depend on to operate their businesses, especially during COVID-19. As Kerrigan writes in the piece: Smartphones and tablets are an economic […]

NEWS For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. – Today, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) president & CEO Karen Kerrigan will testify before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, on barriers to accessing capital for women and minority-owned businesses during COVID-19. Solutions and legislative proposals will also be discussed. (Listen […]