PETALUMA, Calif., Feb. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mother JonesMagazine and Senior Reporter Josh Harkinson received the American SmallBusiness League (ASBL)2016 Journalistic Excellence Award yesterday for their groundbreaking story: Giant Corporations Are Reaping Billions From Federal"Small Business" Contracts. The story exposed the fact that thegovernment has diverted billions in federal small business contracts to Fortune500 firms while fabricating compliance with the 23% small business contractinggoal.

The article revealed thatVerizon Communications received more than $107 million in small businesscontracts in 2015, and that the Small Business Administration (SBA) countedcontracts with 150 Fortune 500 firms towards its small business contractingrequirements in the same year.

Josh Harkinson cites the fact that small businesses are excludedfrom the majority of Federal discretionary spending as further evidence thatthe U.S government favors corporations over small businesses.

Additionally, the article exposed the methods by whichcorporations are receiving small business contracts, bringing to light therevelation that large Corporations are receiving billions in small businesscontracts through small businesses they acquire and don't recertify as largebusinesses. "Corporate behemoths that acquire smaller firms may simplyignore a requirement to recertify the size of the firms they acquire (theVerizon contracts were awarded to a subsidiary, Terremark Federal Group, thatVerizon purchased in 2011)."

Josh Harkinson started writing for Mother Jones in 2006,specializing in tech, labor, drug policy and the environment. His article madea huge splash in congress, indicated after its release by the congressionalextension of the Comprehensive Subcontracting Plan Test Program (CSPTP), a 28 year old Pentagon test program that removesall transparency regarding federal contracting within the program, as well asall penalties for non-compliance with Federal contracting law.

On receiving his award from the ASBL Josh Harkinson stated:"I am honored to accept this award from the American Small BusinessLeague. Through FOIA requests and lawsuits, the ASBL shines a spotlight onfederal small business contracting. This information is of vital importance tojournalists and anyone who wants to understand the often opaque world offederal procurement."

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PETALUMA, Calif., Feb. 6, 2017/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today Donald Trump introduced the members ofhis economic council with a conspicuous absence of anyone from the smallbusiness community. Having stated that he would be the "greatest jobs president God ever created,"and create 25 million new jobs, it's curiousthe individuals on his business council are primarily from Fortune 500 firmsand large corporations.

Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric, a corporationfamous for its aggressive job outsourcing, is on the council as well as 16other members from corporations such as Walmart, PepsiCo, General Motors, IBM,Boeing, Walt Disney Co. and Tesla Inc.

According to government data 98% of all U.S firms have less than 100employees and they create 97% of all net new jobs. There are 28 million smallbusinesses in America that are responsible for half of the GDP, half theprivate sector work force and 90% of U.S exporters.

In 2006, a Kauffman foundation study found that 100% of the newjobs since 1988 have come from new businesses which are overwhelmingly smallbusinesses.

"If the purpose of the economic council is to try toincrease corporate profits by shipping jobs overseas that's definitely theright group to talk to," said American Small Business League President Lloyd Chapman.

"President Trump has promised to be the greatest Jobsproducing president God ever created. Someone needs to show him the U.S Censusbureau data that shows small businesses create 97% of all the net new jobs. Ihaven't seen one economic policy put forth by the Trump administration that isspecifically intended to benefit small businesses, and I don't expect we will.I'm very disappointed that his economic committee should be 98% percent smallbusiness leaders and it's just the opposite. It's populated with people fromfortune 500 firms and they don't create jobs small businesses do."

For the full press release click here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trump-economic-council-excludes-small-business-leaders-asbl-reports-300402231.html?tc=eml_cleartime