As a member of the House Committee on Small Business and because of my own experience as a small business owner, I am appreciative of the impact these small businesses have on our local economies.

Under the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program, homes are independently verified to be measurably more energy efficient than average houses.

Married couples who work together to build and maintain a business assume broad responsibilities. Not only is their work important to our local and national economies, but their success is central to the well-being of their families.

We're all proud of the communities that we've built and are a part of, but we shouldn't accept lost time and unnecessary stress when traveling in them.

Many of our constituents have one option for cable TV and one price. Our constituents desire choice.

In fact, 80 percent of our domestic job growth comes from the small- and medium-sized business community.

Mr. Speaker, democracy works best when the American electorate is engaged and informed.