,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #fjb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #bf1        
#bjai,mr4 ,pocan 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,gos>1
 & ,ms4 ,velzquez7 submitt$ ! foll[+    
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,,resolution     
,comm5d+ ! coop]ative bus9ess model & ! 
bus9esses1 employees1 & practition]s    
nationally & int]nationally :o use x =  
_! contributions to ! economy & social  
impacts !y make on _! communities4      
,:]eas coop]atives are memb]-own$       
bus9esses1 own$ & gov]n$ by ! p t use ! 
bus9ess1 create its products1 or manage 
its op]ations1 & op]ate "u ! #g agre$ ^u
 pr9ciples (--  7#a7 volunt>y op5       
memb]%ip2  7#b7 democratic control2     
7#c7 own] economic p>ticipation2  7#d7  
autonomy & indep5d5ce2  7#e7 education1 
tra9+1 & in=mation2  7#f7 coop]ation    
among coop]atives2 &  7#g7 conc]n =     
community2 ,:]eas coop]ative            
entrepr5eurs are (t5 categoriz$ into #d 
v>iations ( ! bus9ess model--consum]1   

produc]1 pur*as+1 & work] coop]atives--&
 c be f\nd 9 almo/ e economic sector 9 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates1 ?r\gh\t all #ej ,/ates &
 t]ritories1 & e congressional di/rict 9
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas int]nationally 
! pr9ciples ( coop]ation & ! coop]ative 
bus9ess model help smallhold] f>m]s     
organize !mselves & ga9 access to local 
& global m>kets1 tra9+1 improv$ inputs1 
& aggregat$ sales & m>ket+2 ,:]eas ?is  
provides f>m]s own]%ip ov] _! economic  
decisions1 a focus on le>n+1 & a broad] 
und]/&+ ( environm5tal & social conc]ns2
 ,:]eas coop]atives help f>m]s increase 
incomes & become m resili5t to %ocks &  
/resses by work+ toge!r to plan & prep>e
 = ! future2 ,:]eas coop]ative values   
/ress self-help1 div]sity1 & inclusion (
 vuln]able gr\ps to ensure access to    
wom5 & y\?2 ,:]eas annual ,agriculture1 
,rural ,developm5t1 ,food & ,drug       
,adm9i/ration1 & ,relat$ ,ag5cies       
appropriation bills fund ! sole dome/ic 
program d$icat$ to coop]ative developm5t
 to improve ! economic condition ( rural

 areas )9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,dep>tm5t (   
,agriculture ,rural ,bus9ess-,coop]ative
 ,s]vices "u ! ,rural ,coop]ative       
,developm5t ,grant program1 & grantee   
organizations use fund+ to provide      
te*nical assi/ance to coop]atively own$ 
bus9esses2 ,:]eas ! ,global ,food       
,security ,act id5tifi$ coop]atives     
among key /akehold]s :o are actors      
engag$ 9 ef=ts to advance global food   
security programs2 ,:]eas annual        
,agriculture1 ,rural ,developm5t1 ,food 
& ,drug ,adm9i/ration1 & ,relat$        
,ag5cies & ,/ate & ,=eign ,op]ations    
appropriation bills fund titles &       
programs )9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,ag5cy =    
,int]national ,developm5t & ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,agriculture "u ,developm5t           
,assi/ance1 ,fe$ ! ,future1 ,food =     
,peace ,title ,,ii1 & ! ,coop]ative     
,developm5t ,program1 & grantee         
organizations use fund+ to advance      
int]national developm5t us+ coop]ative  
pr9ciples & ! coop]ative model2 ,:]eas  
,f$]al legislation au?oriz$ a coop]ative

 rese>* program ) academic in/itutions  
to conduct rese>* on ! effects ( all    
types ( coop]atives on ! national       
economy z "p ( ! #bjjh f>m bill2 ,:]eas 
an ,int]ag5cy ,work+ ,gr\p on           
,coop]ative ,developm5t 0 e/abli%$ 9 !  
,agricultural ,act ( #bjad & au?orizes !
 ,secret>y ( ,agriculture to coord9ate &
 *air an int]ag5cy work+ gr\p to fo/]   
coop]ative developm5t & ensure          
coord9ation ) ,f$]al ag5cies & national 
& local coop]ative organizations t h    
coop]ative programs & int]e/s1 & has    
organiz$ f\r meet+s ?us f>2 ,:]eas a    
bip>tisan ,congressional ,coop]ative    
,bus9ess ,caucus unites ,memb]s (       
,congress 9 a cause to create a bett]   
in=m$ electorate & a m educat$ public on
 ! important role t coop]atives play 9 !
 national & int]national economy1 to    
promote ! coop]ative bus9ess model      
because x ensures consum]s h access to  
high-quality goods & s]vices at         
competitive prices & co/s t bett] !     
lives ( individuals1 families1 & _!     

communities1 & to address & correct     
aw>5ess *all5ges among ! public & )9 !  
,gov]nm5t on :at a co-op looks l1 :o are
 co-ops1 :]e are co-ops1 & :y d p *oose 
!m2 ,:]eas1 ! ,c5sus ,bureau1 z "p ( its
 #bjag ,economic ,c5sus1 includ$ a "q 9 
its survey ( all bus9esses ask+ if !    
bus9ess is organiz$ z a coop]ative :i* w
 yield bo? quantitative & qualitative   
data on ! effects & importance (        
coop]atives across ! ,am]ican economy2  
,:]eas ! ,univ]sity ( ,wiscons9 ,c5t] = 
,coop]atives complet$ a rese>* /udy 9   
#bjji1 entitl$1 ,rese>* on ! ,economic  
,impacts ( ,coop]atives1 :]e9 !y built a
 compreh5sive li/ ( all ,unit$ ,/ates   
coop]atives1 ga!r$ economic data f      
coop]atives1 analyz$ ! direct & indirect
 economic impacts ( coop]atives1 &      
develop$ approa*es = measur+ ! unique   
economic & social impacts ( coop]atives2
 ,:]eas1 9 #bjag1 ! ,univ]sity (        
,wiscons9 ,c5t] = ,coop]atives f\nd t   
!re 7 #fd1jag coop]atives 9 ! ,unit$    
,/ates op]at+ 9 ! comm]cial sales1      

m>ket+ & production1 f9ancial s]vices1  
social & public s]vices1 & utilities    
sectors2 ,:]eas 9 ! utility s]vices     
sector1 utility coop]atives are task$ ) 
! deliv]y ( public s]vices su* z        
electricity1 wat]1 telecommunications1 &
 broadb&1 ma9ly ?r\gh\t ! rural ,unit$  
,/ates1 :]e inve/or-own$ utility        
companies typically d n op]ate due to l[
 pr(itability2 ,:]eas 9 ! f9ancial      
s]vices sector1 coop]atives includ+     
cr$it unions1 f>m cr$it banks1 & f9anc+ 
organizations t l5d to coop]atives      
ensure t all rev5ue is funnel$ back into
 ! bus9ess to l[] int]e/ rates & provide
 o!r b5efits to its memb]-own]s2 ,:]eas 
9 ! insurance sector1 ! fir/ coop]ative 
0 a mutual insurance company f\nd$ 9    
#ageb by ,b5jam9 ,frankl92 ,:]eas ) no  
/ockhold]s1 policyhold]s vote 9 bo>d    
elections & pr(its e>n$ are cycl$ back  
into co/ sav+ programs or return$ z     
divid5d paym5ts2 ,:]eas 9 pur*as+ &     
%>$-s]vice coop]atives1 indep5d5t &     
fran*ise bus9esses :o rely on !m ?rive2 

,:]eas 9 ! agriculture sector1          
coop]atives acc\nt = a significant      
portion ( ! economic activity 9 ! ,unit$
 ,/ates agriculture & food m>kets2      
,:]eas ^! produc] coop]atives           
collectively help f>m]s buy requir$     
supplies & s]vices to op]ate _!         
individual f>ms & help m effici5tly     
m>ket _! raw or process$ products m ?an 
if !y p]=m$ ^! duties individually2     
,:]eas food coop]atives range 9 size f  
small1 local buy+ clubs to multi/ore    
regional giants t g head-to-head )      
national *a9 /ores2 ,:]eas 9 ! h\s+     
sector1 h\s+ coop]atives & resid5t-own$ 
communities are an alt]native to        
conv5tional r5tal ap>tm5ts1 mobile home 
p>ks1 & condom9iums2 ,:]eas a h\s+      
coop]ative owns ! build+ or l& & emp[]s 
ea* resid5t ) own]%ip & responsibility2 
,:]eas h\s+ coop]atives h roots dat+ to 
! late #ahjjs & today are mo/ly         
conc5trat$ 9 major cities l ,new ,york  
,city1 ,*icago1 & ! ,di/rict (          
,columbia1 & increas+ly are becom+ an   

alt]native = /ud5ts at colleges ?r\gh\t 
! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas coop]atives all[
 resid5ts ( mobile home p>ks to         
collectively pur*ase ! l& !y live on1   
provid+ /ability & ! opportunity to     
self-gov]n2 ,:]eas1 z ( #bjah1 at lea/  
#bbj mobile home communities h conv]t$  
to a resid5t-own$ model2 ,:]eas 9 work] 
coop]atives1 memb]s bo? p]=m ! "w &     
gov]n ! bus9ess2 ,:]eas 9 rec5t ye>s1 _m
 bus9esses are *oos+ to /ructure ?is way
 s t work]s h great] control ov] !      
bus9ess 9 :i* !y "w & own2 ,:]eas _m    
sole proprietor1 p>tn]%ip1 or family    
bus9esses are conv]t+ to work]-own$     
coop]atives :5 fac$ ) a pot5tial closure
 or buy\t2 ,:]eas coop]atives h !       
pot5tial to ease ! imp5d+ problem ( baby
 boom] small bus9ess own]s retir+ by    
transition+ employee-own$ or            
consum]-own$ coop]atives r ?an clos+ !  
bus9ess :5 ! own] retires2 ,:]eas       
coop]atives are a prov5 /rategy 9 help+ 
p build a m inclusive economy t is m    
equitable1 p>ticipatory1 gr[+1          

su/a9able1 & /able2 & ,:]eas ! national 
apex organization repres5t+ p &         
organizations t use ! coop]ative bus9ess
 model to build a bett] _w1 ! ,national 
,coop]ative ,bus9ess ,association       
,,clusa ,int]national1 celebrat$ its    
#ajj? anniv]s>y 9 #bjaf3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be 
x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7  
comm5ds ! coop]ative bus9ess model = its
 contributions to ! ,nation's & ! _w's  
economy1 ! jobs x creates1 & its social 
impacts on ! communities 9 :i* !y       
op]ate2  7#b7 expresses its confid5ce 9 
& support = coop]atives t[>d cont9u+ _! 
successes2  7#c7 w seek to enact        
legislation ensur+ t coop]atives won't  
be adv]sely affect$2  7#d7 w be m9dful 9
 craft+ legislation affect+ o!r bus9ess 
models s t ! legislation does n adv]sely
 affect ! coop]ative bus9ess model's    
competitive position2 &  7#e7 w seek to 
enact legislation /udy+1 support+1      
enc\rag+1 & promot+ ! use ( ! coop]ative
 bus9ess model across all policy areas t
 c be an additional alt]native t[>d     

help+ solve a numb] ( ! ,nation's & !   
_w's policy issues & conc]ns4