In his welcoming remarks to Summit attendees, U.S. Chamber president and CEO Tom Donohue expressed confidence that the economy will turn around and that America's 25 million small businesses would be leading the way. Tom noted that in these challenging economic times, "small business is holding the economy together." This isn't an exaggeration--in recent years, small businesses have been responsible for 60%-80% of new jobs and more than half of non-farm GDP.

Mentioning that the new political environment presented both new challenges and new opportunities, Tom declared that the Chamber will always support the president, even though we may not always agree. He referred to the stimulus package and the small business loans program as areas where the Chamber has collaborated with Congress and President Obama. Tom also highlighted some areas of disagreement, such as the tax increases included in the budget and the proposed cap-and-trade program. The Summit attendees were encouraged to tell their elected representatives what their businesses need to be successful. They'll have an opportunity to do just this later today at the Rally On The Hill.

Tom closed by making a passionate case for the spirit of enterprise and cautioning against government growing beyond its proper role. He rallied the crowd by saying that free enterprise, equality of opportunity, and the ability to take a risk is what has made America great, and that we must preserve these freedoms.