Congressman J.  Randy Forbes (VA-04) was named Thursday as a “Guardian of Small Business” for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America’s small-business owners by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner praised Congressman Forbes for “standing for small business.” In presenting the group’s coveted Guardian of Small Business Award, Danner said, “Small-business owners pay close attention to how their lawmakers vote on their issues affecting their businesses and employees and stand by those who stand for them.”

“The record shows that Rep. Forbes is a true champion of small business, having stood strong on the key small-business votes in the 112th Congress,” said Danner. “This award reflects our members’ appreciation for supporting the NFIB pro-growth agenda for small business.”

“Our nation was founded on the tradition that an individual could have the freedom to own and grow their own business,” said Congressman Forbes.  “Government was not designed to be the center of the marketplace, nor was it meant to be a barrier to economic growth.  With each new overreach of the federal government into the realm of small business, innovation and entrepreneurship in America is stifled. As leaders in Washington, we need to be sending a different message to small business owners; one that shows government is not a barrier to business growth, but rather one that cultivates an environment where small businesses are free to do what they know best: innovate, grow and create jobs.”

Guardian awards are given to U.S. Senators and Representatives who vote favorably on key small business issues at least 70 percent of the time. Congress Forbes holds a 100% rating with the NFIB in the 112th Congress.

The NFIB, founded in 1943, is the nation’s largest small business advocacy group. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington and all 50 state capitals. More information is available online at www.NFIB.com.