NEWSRELEASE

IRS Commissioner, Governors, D.C. Mayor to Speak at Vision 2000 Awards Conference

WASHINGTON— Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti will speak at the Vision 2000: The States and Small Business Conference the Office of Advocacy announced today. Commissioner Rossotti will make his remarks during a luncheon on Dec. 1. In addition to the commissioner, Gov. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) will give the keynote address at the conference that morning. Gov. Cecil H. Underwood (R-W.V.) will receive an award and address award winners and guests on the second day of the conference. Vision 2000 will take place at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 1-2, 1999. Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams (D) will open the event with welcoming remarks.

Vision 2000 is an awards conference designed to showcase outstanding state and local initiatives that advance small business programs and policies. State policy-makers, state and local small business program directors, non-profit service providers, small business owners, and small business trade association executives will attend the event. For detailed information on the conference and award winners visit the Web site at www.sba.gov/advo/vision.html.

A Congressional Forum: The 3^rd Millennium will be held during the conference on Dec. 1, at 3:30 p.m. Panelists, representing the U.S. House and Senate Committees on Small Business, will discuss legislative efforts to help small businesses in the next century. Members of the committee will also participate by satellite feed and video.

Informative panels targeted at helping today’s small businesses will also be featured throughout the conference. Panels include: Giving Small Business a Voice; Global Competitiveness of Small Technology Businesses; Procurement Assistance for Small Business; and Developing Small Businesses in Rural Areas. Additional speakers participating include Idaho State Treasurer Ron Crane (R) and Oklahoma Senate Majority Leader Billy Mickle (D).

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is located at 1615 H St. N.W. Reporters who wish to attend the conference may obtain a media pass for the event. For more information contact John B. Johnson at (202) 205-6941.

The SBA’s Office of Advocacy was created by an act of Congress in 1976 to protect, strengthen and effectively represent the nation’s small businesses within the federal government. As part of this mandate, the office conducts policy studies and economic research on issues of concern to small business and publishes data on small business characteristics and contributions. For instant access to small business resources, statistics and research visit the Office of Advocacy’s home page at http://www.sba.gov/advo/.

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*Last Modified 6-7-01