118 STAT. 4161 PROCLAMATION 7808—SEPT. 7, 2004 vestment, and removing obstacles to growth, my Administration has helped American businesses thrive and create nearly 1.7 million new jobs since August 2003. In addition, the number of Small Business Ad- ministration loans to minorities increased by 40 percent last year to a 50-year record level. And my fiscal year 2005 budget request includes a 21 percent increase in funding for the Department of Commerce’s Mi- nority Business Development Agency, the largest increase in more than a decade. To help provide sustainable outreach to minority enterprises, my Ad- ministration is working with the National Urban League to create an entrepreneurship network to further expand minority business owner- ship. With the help of government agencies, the private sector, and faith-based and community organizations, this network will include one-stop centers for business training, counseling, financing, and con- tracting and will focus resources toward facilitating economic growth and enterprise in historically neglected areas. More minorities own small businesses than ever before. That is good for our citizens and good for our country. Together, we can create an environment where entrepreneurs can flourish and everyone can real- ize the American Dream. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 5 through September 11, 2004, as Minority Enterprise Development Week. I call upon all Americans to celebrate this week with appro- priate programs, ceremonies, and activities and to recognize the count- less contributions of our Nation’s minority enterprises. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7808 of September 7, 2004 To Modify the Generalized System of Preferences, and For Other Purposes By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation 1. Pursuant to sections 501 and 502(a)(1) of Title V of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the ‘‘1974 Act’’;) (19 U.S.C. 2461, 2462(a)(1)), the President is authorized to designate countries as beneficiary devel- oping countries for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). 2. Pursuant to section 503(d) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)), the President may waive the application of the competitive need limita- tions in section 503(c)(2)(A) (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(A)) with respect to any eligible article from any beneficiary developing country if certain conditions are met. VerDate 11-MAY-2000 15:04 Nov 10, 2005 Jkt 029194 PO 00000 Frm 00127 Fmt 8087 Sfmt 8087 C:\STATUTES\2004\29194PT4.004 APPS10 PsN: 29194PT4
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