Memorandum on the White House Conference on Small Business

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: White House Conference on Small Business

In September, I appointed the White House Conference on Small Business Commission. The Commission is charged with convening a series of State and regional meetings that will culminate in a national White House Conference on Small Business in June 1995.

These 66 meetings will attract up to 40,000 participants who will discuss the challenges facing small businesses. These representatives— small business owners and entrepreneurs—will develop specific recommendations for executive and congressional action. These recommendations will help constitute the small business agenda for the 21st century.

I ask each of you to support this important effort, by taking the following measures. First, each department and agency should prepare a list of significant policy initiatives affecting small businesses undertaken in the past year. Second, each department and agency should identify one or two potential new initiatives that would improve the economic or regulatory climate for small businesses. These two items should be forwarded to Gene B. Sperling, Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, no later than April 1, 1994.

The White House Office of Cabinet Affairs, working with the National Economic Council staff, the White House Office of Public Liaison, and the Small Business Administration, will coordinate various departments' and agencies' participation in the Conference. To facilitate that process, please designate a deputy-level contact on your staff to serve as a liaison and to work directly with the White House offices and the Small Business Administration. Each liaison will be asked to attend regular meetings and charged with oversight of the department's or agency's contribution to and participation in the Conference. Please forward your designee's name to Christine A. Varney, Deputy Assistant to the President for Cabinet Affairs, by April 1.

Thank you for your support of this important effort to assist our Nation's small businesses.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON