Small Businesses Need Lawmakers to Reach Deal on Debt Ceiling Now

With just nine days to go until the deadline, small business owners need lawmakers to reach a deal on the debt ceiling immediately. Specifically, one that raises the ceiling for the long term and tackles the federal deficit without making any cuts that jeopardize small business success.

A deal that would have raised the ceiling, which appeared not to harm small businesses, fell apart over the weekend because some lawmakers were concerned about doing away with tax breaks for millionaires, which have nothing to do with small businesses. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle need to remember small business needs over the next several days, which means putting the success of our nation's job creators over breaks for special interests.

It's incredibly discouraging that policymakers still haven't reached an agreement on this issue. Defaulting on the debt would be devastating to small businesses and the economy as a whole. However, there are consequences simply of dragging out the debate to the last minute, with each passing day that politicians fail to make a deal, economic uncertainty grows, creating a more and more unstable environment for small businesses.

It's the 11th hour. For the sake of small businesses and our fledgling economic recovery, lawmakers must put the greater good over political gamesmanship. Many entrepreneurs simply won't survive if they don't.