1.  There is “Peace in the Valley”: Over the past year things have been very tenuous between us and personnel at the White House.  Last week, a quorum of NBCC Board of Directors met with White House Officials to discuss our differences and concerns.  The meeting was a success and we will “start over”.  The White House will get involved with our 19^th Annual Convention during July 21 – 23, 2011.  We will start working with Department of Commerce OSDBU LaJuene Desmukes.  LaJuene will assist us with other agencies concerning small business programs.  Our chapters will be encouraged to participate in webinars hosted by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).  There will be no fee for these webinars.  For our members who are into exporting the MBDA will assist with its network of business centers and the International Trade Administration (ITA).  Now, this is a great beginning of a new era.  It wasn’t the first time there was tension with an Administration (like the previous) but it is the first time the stalemate was settled through discussion and not personnel changes.  Here’s to a new beginning.

2.  Chairman Baker’s Congressional Testimony: NBCC Chair Arnold Baker was just brilliant last week in his testimony before the House Small Business Committee.

To read Arnold’s testimony go here.  To hear the opening testimony please click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQztGhREM-E.  To view the photos please click here http://www.smallbusiness.house.gov/Photos/#id=243610&num=7.

3.  Positive Legislation: Among the bills we are tracking we want to bring your attention to the following four:  Congressman Bobby Rush – H.R. 1902 which will strengthen the MBDA program at the Department of Commerce and H.R. 656 which will promote trade and investment between American and African companies; Congressman Allen West – H.R. 1663 which will allow work opportunity tax credits for small businesses hiring unemployed individuals and Congressman Tim Scott has the Empower Employees Act (no number yet) which will allow federal employees to opt not to join a union and have dues automatically deducted from their paychecks.  May all of these bills pass through Congress.

4. Testimony about the Gainful Employment Rule: Many of you have seen me on television talking about the ills of the proposed Gainful Employment Rule which would cancel federal financial aid to students attending proprietary or career schools (the majority of whom are minorities).  The following is living testimony from an owner of one of these schools who is crying out for help:  “I want to thank you for speaking up for private for profit schools.  I own a barber school with two locations, Indiana and Chicago Illinois and 90 % of my students are minority.  Our school plays by the rules and our students graduate--94% of them graduate. Of the graduates 100% of them pass the state licensing exam and of those students 100% of them are employed in the field.  Our students cannot, for various reasons, attend a four year college and our 9 month program gives them just enough education to work in a barbershop or open their own.  The small amount of federal funding that these students get compared to a college student is best spent because they work.  The average student makes more the first year then does a first year school teacher with more loans.  What is more important is that these graduates open their own barbershops in small neighborhoods and become successful business owners.  We have countless success stories of men who were once without work.  Thank you for speaking up for us.  The DOE is head hunting and I'm afraid that my very successful barber school will be the prize.  Please come and visit either of our schools and see our students dressed in shirts, ties and dress slacks practicing their art in a safe clean organized school.  thanks again.”  Let’s all get together and fight this cruel idea.