Congressman Tom Price (GA-06) issued the following statement after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recognized his strong pro-jobs voting record in 2009 with the Spirit of Enterprise award. This marks the fifth consecutive Spirit of Enterprise award for Rep. Price, dating back to his first year in Congress.

“The spirit of free enterprise remains alive and well within the American people, but it is often difficult to find among my Democrat colleagues in Washington,” said Congressman Price. “The simplest and most effective way to encourage job creation is to allow workers and small business owners to keep more of their hard-earned money. The industrious and innovative nature of the American people can always lead our nation into greater prosperity if those in government agree to stop blocking the path.

“Even today, many employers are struggling to stay afloat with limited access to investment capital and higher taxes and burdensome new mandates on the horizon. These obstacles to growth will continue to make job creators wary of hiring and expanding until Washington sees the error of its ways. The foundation for long-term economic growth can only be built with robust private sector job creation. It is time to re-empower the entrepreneurs and small businesses who have always been the driver of our economic engine.”