http://www.sba.gov/advo/ http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-34.html The Environmental Protection Agency’s recent actions reforming the Oil Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule contains provisions that will benefit small business. The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is encouraged that the EPA listened to small business and included those provisions in the reformed rule. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html#gen On November 14, 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a proposed roadmap for the potential use of financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The proposed roadmap sets forth several milestones that, if achieved, could lead to the required use of the IFRS by US issuers in 2014 if the SEC believes it in the public interest. IFRS does not allow for the use of the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method of accounting for inventory. Public comment on the SEC's proposed roadmap should be received by the SEC on or before February 19, 2009. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/nps08_1113.html On November 13, 2008, the Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) filed comments with the National Park Service regarding its proposed rule on winter visitation and recreational snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs335tot.pdf Small businesses are the innovators of the American economy as they obtain many more patents per employee than larger firms, according to a study, An Analysis of Small Business Patents by Industry and Firm Size, released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-33.html Small businesses are the innovators of the American economy as they obtain many more patents per employee than larger firms, according to a study, An Analysis of Small Business Patents by Industry and Firm Size, released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs334tot.pdf Immigrant-owned businesses generate approximately 11.6 percent of all business income in the United States. Moreover, immigrants own 11.2 percent of businesses with $100,000 or more in sales and 10.8 percent of all businesses with employees. These figures are contained in a report, Estimating the Contribution of Immigrant Business Owners to the U.S. Economy, released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-32.html Immigrant-owned businesses generate approximately 11.6 percent of all business income in the United States. Moreover, immigrants own 11.2 percent of businesses with $100,000 or more in sales and 10.8 percent of all businesses with employees. These figures are contained in a report, Estimating the Contribution of Immigrant Business Owners to the U.S. Economy, released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/msha08_1106.html On November 6, 2008, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) submitted comments on the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA’s) proposed Alcohol- and Drug-Free Mines: Policy, Prohibitions, Testing, Training, and Assistance rule (“Drug and Alcohol Testing” rule). http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/sbqei0803.pdf The U.S. economy experienced weaknesses in the third quarter, as real gross domestic product fell 0.3 percent. This and other economic trends are discussed in the third quarter update to the Quarterly Indicators: The Economy and Small Business. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-31.html Shawne Carter McGibbon has been appointed Acting Chief Counsel for Advocacy. She replaces Thomas M. Sullivan who resigned on October 24 to pursue private sector employment at the law firm of Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough. McGibbon was previously the Deputy Chief Counsel for Advocacy. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html#env On October 21, 2008, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released a draft economic analysis and a draft environmental assessment for the revised critical habitat designation of the Canada Lynx. In February 2008, the FWS proposed to revise the amount of critical habitat designated for the Canada lynx to cover approximately 42,753 square miles (over 27 million acres) of habitat in portions of northern Maine, northeastern Minnesota, the Northern Rocky Mountains, the Northern Cascades, and the Greater Yellowstone Area. In 2006, the Service designated 1,841 square miles of critical habitat for the lynx. Comments are due on November 20, 2008. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-30.html The Office of Advocacy has launched a new small business blog focusing on regulatory issues, small business research, state regulatory activity, and more. “The Small Business Watchdog” can be found at http://weblog.sba.gov/blog-advo. http://www.sba.gov/advo/oct_nov08.pdf The October/November issue of the Small Business Advocate announces the launch of the Advocacy blog, Chief Counsel Sullivan’s farewell message and the recently updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) as an insert. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs333tot.pdf College graduates who specialize in social science tend toward self-employment as compared to those with bachelor’s degrees in other subjects, according to a working paper, Baccalaureate Education and the Employment Decision: Self-Employment and the Class of 1993, released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-25.html The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is for the second year seeking nominations of federal rules in need of review and reform. The 2009 “Top 10” rules nominated by small business owners, trade associations, and others will be transmitted to appropriate federal agencies for their action. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/dhs08_0425.html On April 25, 2008, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on DHS' Supplemental Proposed Rule on Safe-Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter (“No-Match” rule). Advocacy’s letter recommends that DHS consider alternatives that will reduce the costs and impacts of the rule on small entities.