News from Washington

By George Swift

The U.S. Chamber Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., this month was a great opportunity for me and my fellow Southwest Louisianans to gain new insights on issues affecting small businesses and to take our message to our Congressional delegation. Joining me on the trip this year was Chamber SWLA Small Business Chair Mike Allen, Chamber SWLA Vice-President of Public Policy Monique Thierry and regional allies Avon Knowlton of the Greater Beauregard Chamber and Cynthia Hoffpauir of the Jeff Davis Business Alliance.

We also welcomed our Vernon Parish ally Eddie Wise of the Vernon Chamber. This was also our annual joint D.C. trip with our Southeast Texas friends, Jim Rich from the Beaumont Chamber, Sabrina Gray from the Orange Chamber, and Mary Ann Reid of the Port Arthur Chamber. Mark Viator and Amanda Bryant from Partnership Strategies also attended. Mark is helping The Alliance formulate a workforce plan for our region just as he did for Southeast Texas.

Together, we met with our Senators Landrieu and Vitter and Senator John Cornyn from Texas as well as Southwest Louisiana Congressman Boustany and Congressmen Fleming, Alexander, and Poe and Brady from Texas. We presented our issues of concern to each. We expressed the need for infrastructure funding for the I-10 bridge replacement at Lake Charles, a ferry replacement over the ship channel in Cameron, a DeRidder by-pass, a new water tower for the

Jeff Davis Lacassine site, and improvements at the Allen Industrial Park in Oakdale.
We also talked about national issues including the request for GO-Zone incentive extensions, opposition to the card check legislation and other matters. We also listened as the Southeast Texans talked about their needs for coastal protection, ship channel dredging and other items. Sound familiar? Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana are truly linked together through common needs and concerns and we welcome the opportunity to work together.

At the U.S. Chamber Summit, we were joined by Andree and Don Begneaud of Begneaud Manufacturing of Lafayette. They are Chamber SWLA members and were finalists in the National Small Business of the Year competition. We are very proud of them. During our last trip to Washington, Andree and I appeared in TV ads produced by the U.S. Chamber to oppose card check. During the conference, they showed the ads and contrary to my usual assertion that the most dangerous place to be is between me and a camera, I must have blushed 20 shades of crimson. As an aside, when we filmed those ads they put so much make-up on me that I looked embalmed.

At the conference, we heard from and met new Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and new SBA Administrator Karen Mills. Our own Senator Landrieu launched the summit as Chair of the Senate Small Business committee. With former Louisiana Senator Don Cravins, Jr as her Chief of Staff for the small business committee, we in Louisiana have a great entre’ to key policy makers for small business. We discussed the need for access to capital for small businesses and the need to cut through the red tape and delays to process SBA loans. We are seeing some relief at SBA with more expected soon. Since small businesses account for about 70% of our country’s economy, we are committed to help our businesses in our region to grow and prosper.

Mike Allen, who was our Chamber SWLA Volunteer of the Year for 2008, was a welcome addition at the summit and on the congressional visits. With his knowledge and background, he was able to pick up a lot of good ideas which we hope to implement.

On another note, our recent Chamber SWLA membership drive brought in about 140 new members—which is terrific! Membership is nearing an all-time high. If you’re in business, you need to be in the Chamber. We are working at full blast to develop our total area which helps every business.

Congratulations to Russell Pawlowski, Vice-President Commercial Banking at Business First Bank who won the grand prize cruise generously furnished by Sonny Duplantis of Holiday Travel.

The Chamber, which is part of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance, is also busy pushing and opposing legislation in Baton Rouge which will impact our region. For a copy of our 2009 Legislative Issues flyer, please contact us.

One thing is for sure, whether it’s on the local, state, and national scene, now is the time for businesses to come together and represent their interests. And as one speaker in D.C. put it, if you don’t have the time, then you will have all the time in the world.

Think globally, act regionally, and promote Southwest Louisiana.