Washington, D.C.—On September 27, President Barack Obama signed into law a bill that is intended to help small businesses. The legislation will give tax credits to small businesses and help such firms receive loans more easily. This aid will cost about $42 billion over the course of a decade.

Opponents to the bill feel it will do little to help the tenuous economy, create jobs or dig the nation out of its financial debt. Others, however, feel the aid will help small business expand stores, buy new equipment and add staff, while encouraging those thinking about opening small businesses to do so.

Specifics about what the bill entails are available at the Senate’s financial committee Web site, http://finance.senate.gov/legislation.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, November 2010 (published ahead of print on September 28, 2010)