This holiday season, we’re thanking servicemembers and their families for all the sacrifices they make for our country. Go inside the White House and the Naval Observatory, the official residence of the Vice President, for a look at how the troops are being honored for their service.

Ed. Note: This article is cross-posted from the SBA Blog

Yesterday, I spoke with Zalmi Duchman, the founder and owner of The Fresh Diet in Florida. His business cooks and delivers freshly prepared, healthy meals directly to customer doors each day.

He talked about how, if Congress doesn’t act, a tax increase will hurt both his hardworking employees and small businesses, like his, that rely on consumers to have money to buy their goods and services. He said that when his employees open their paycheck and see that it got lower, they’ll turn to him and ask why.

That really struck me. I’ve traveled around the country talking with small business owners, and I know he’s not alone.  Small business owners think of their employees as part of their own family. They know that an extra $1,000 a year means a lot to working families.

Over the past two days, over 30,000 Americans have told the White House what $40 less per paycheck would mean to them, including many of the more than half of Americans who own or work for a small business.

Let’s be clear about what is happening in Washington. The President called for this tax cut extension about four months ago.  Senate and House leaders finally came to an agreement last week, and the Senate passed a bipartisan bill – with 89 of 100 Senators in support – to extend the tax cuts. And now, after the Senate has left, House Republicans are backtracking, causing uncertainty among America’s 27 million small businesses as they put the final touches on their business plans for 2012.

Next month, the Administration will continue to work with Congress to extend the tax cut through the rest of 2012. But right now, the House needs to pass the two-month extension and provide a stable environment for small businesses.

I encourage you to tell what $40 means to you or tweet @WhiteHouse with the hashtag #40dollars. That’s money that Americans could otherwise be spending on Main Street, giving a boost to our small businesses which create two of every three new jobs.

As we move into 2012, small business owners need the wind at their back, not in their face.  It's unacceptable that Congress hasn’t acted on this to give them the certainty they need right now.

America's small businesses and their employees deserve better.

Karen Mills is the SBA Administrator

In nine days,160 million working Americans will see their taxes go up if House Republicans fail to acton a bipartisan agreement.  Additionally, if Congress fails to act, 2.5 million Americans will no longer receive their unemployment insurance benefits. The President refuses to let that happen.

The President believes the only viable option to ensure millions of middle class families aren’t hit with a tax hike is if the House of Representatives takes up the bipartisan compromise that passed in the Senate with nearly 90 percent support, including 39 votes from Senate Republicans.  If House Republicans refuse to take up this bill, 160 million Americans will see their taxes increase.

This isn’t about scoring political points, or trying to figure out who’s winning or losing the debate in Washington.  This isn’t high-stakes poker.  It’s about the livelihood of millions Americans across the nation.  It’s about an extra $40 in each paycheck.  It’s about being able to afford that extra tank of gas or putting food on the table.  If House Republicans refuse to do their job, they’ll put the squeeze on millions of middle class families at a time when they can least afford it. 

Yesterday, local newspapers weighed in on the debate.  Their message was clear: House Republicans should come to their senses and extend the payroll tax cut.  No more games. The American people have had enough.  It’s time to get to work and do what’s right for the American people.  Today, even more local papers are adding their voices.  Let’s take a look:

When the Senate voted to extend the payroll tax cut over the weekend, the bill got support from 89 Senators. That doesn't happen all that often -- most ideas just aren't that popular. So why can't this one get a vote in the House of Representatives?  

Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, responds to questions on twitter about the payroll tax cut extension and why #40dollars matters during another session of White House Office Hours. (Photo by Mori Rothman)

On Tuesday, the White House called on Americans to add their voice to the conversation in Washington about why we need to extend the payroll tax cut.  If Congress fails to extend the payroll tax cut, the typical family making $50,000 a year will have about $40 less to spend or save with each paycheck.  Over the year, that adds up to about $1,000.

Today, Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, answered your questions about the payroll tax cut extension and why $40 matters during a session of White House Office Hours.

Check out the full questions and answer session below, or over on Storify. Be sure to follow @WhiteHouse on Twitter for updates from the White House and for more chances to engage.

Today marks yet another historic day in the Obama Administration’s efforts to protect the health of American families and our environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first-ever national standards to reduce mercury and other toxic air emissions – like arsenic, acid gas, and cyanide – from power plants, which are the largest sources of this pollution in the United States.

This crucial step forward will bring enormous public health benefits. By substantially reducing emissions of toxic pollutants that lead to neurological damage, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other serious health issues, these standards will benefit millions of people across the country, but especially children, older Americans, and other vulnerable populations. Cumulatively, the total health and economic benefits to society could reach $90 billion each year.

On Tuesday, the White House called on Americans to add their voice to the conversation in Washington about why we need to extend the payroll tax cut.  If Congress fails to extend the payroll tax cut, the typical family making $50,000 a year will have about $40 less to spend or save with each paycheck.  Over the year, that adds up to about $1,000. 

Opponents of the payroll tax cut dismissed its impact by insisting $40 isn’t a lot of money. We know that's not the case for many families who are already working hard to make ends meet, so we asked them: What does $40 mean to you?

The response was overwhelming--more than 20,000 from all 50 states have people submitted their stories through our web site since yesterday afternoon.  On Twitter, we asked “What does #40dollars mean to you?”  and the hashtag started trending nationwide and worldwide almost immediately. Data is still coming in, but #40dollars has been used in over 1,000 tweets and counting. Based on the latest report from Hashtracking.com, those tweets have generated 7,425,833 impressions, reaching an audience of 7,288,208 followers within the past 24 hours.

Some of the latest responses we received are below, including some mayors from around the country asking their followers what #40dollars means to them. You can read more here and here, and also on Storify. And don't forget to share your own story here, or tweet using the hashtag #40dollars. 

To be honest $40 is around what I have to spend each week to feed myself and my 2 yr old. There are times when I can't eat--I have to go to bed without a meal just to make sure my son eats. If the tax credit isn't granted I will have to rely on the local food pantries who are already strained.

S.G., Milledgeville, Georgia

$40 buys a week's worth of the nutrient drink that my 98-year-old mother virtually survives on.

M.H.B, New York

#40dollars a week is the cost of my prescriptions; without these medications I would die from a stroke or heart attack.

@JSerrato53 

$40 a paycheck is over half our household's grocery expenses.  It's not expendable income.

R.L.S., Jersey City, New Jersey

$40 is a pair of inexpensive sneakers for my two daughters. They've been wearing the same pair for a year. I promised I'd have new shoes for them before the end of this year, but $40 out of my next check means they will have to wait longer.

J.M., Cedartown, Georgia

#40dollars is 10 days of interest accumulation on only one of my many federal student loans at a 6.8% interest.

@eoxenford

With the holiday season in full swing, many of us are thinking about the meals we’ll soon be sharing with family and friends.  Whether it’s turkey and egg nog, or latkes, or a New Year’s buffet, food is always a central and cherished part of the festivities. Of course, we all know that a necessary ingredient for any meal is food safety.

When the President came into office, he said that “protecting the safety of our food and drugs is one of the most fundamental responsibilities government has.” He pledged to strengthen our food safety laws and to enhance the government’s food safety performance. 

To help accomplish that goal, the Administration worked with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, and a broad coalition of industry and consumer groups, to enact the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA. FSMA is the most sweeping reform of our food laws in more than 70 years. It will apply modern scientific methods to target and prevent the most significant hazards and hold importers accountable for the safety of the food they bring into this country. FDA is working towards a release of proposed rules to implement FSMA and to build a modern new system of food safety oversight that harnesses the best available practices.

To oversee all of the Administration’s food safety efforts, the President created the Federal Food Safety Working Group, led by our two departments. Partner agencies include the FDA and CDC.

We’re pleased to say that the Working Group’s just released report shows that this Administration has delivered substantial results in the area of food safety. These include stricter standards to prevent contamination of food with dangerous bacteria, stronger surveillance to detect contamination problems earlier, and more rapid response to illness outbreaks. 

Ed. Note: Today at 3:30 pm EDT, Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council will be holding a session of Office Hours on Twitter.  He’ll be on the @WHLive account answering questions about the payroll tax cut extension.  Ask your question now and during the live event on Twitter using the hashtag #WHChat.

“$40 less a paycheck means I will have to pick between my insulin and the water bill. It means never being able to see my doctor - even though I have insurance.”               

B.T. Roswell, New Mexico

“Right now, I am unable to pay all my bills every month; $40 less would mean my son and I would be going without groceries or another bill would have to wait and be late.”

P.B., Liberal, Kansas

$40.00 means the world to me. It's the equivalent of 5 hours work or feeding my family for 3 nights.

T.K. Gaylord, Michigan

These are just a few of the 18,000 stories Americans from all over the country submitted through our website since yesterday afternoon, when we asked people to tell us how losing $40 each paycheck—what the typical family would pay in additional taxes if the payroll tax cut expires—would affect them.

And when we asked “What does #40dollars mean to you?” on Twitter,  the hashtag #40dollars started trending almost immediately, not just nationwide, but worldwide, as a result of people sharing their stories there.

As Republicans in the House dig in and refuse to even vote on extending the payroll tax cut, we want to make sure your voice is heard.

Share your own story here, or tweet @WhiteHouse with the hashtag #40dollars, and tell us what you would have to cut or go without if you had $40 less to spend with each paycheck.

Below, read more of the stories we’ve already collected, and check back throughout the day for updates. Or read more of the responses we've gotten on Twitter with Storify.

$40 is the difference between our second grade son being able to sign up for an extracurricular activity (soccer, chess, swimming, etc.) or not.

J.E., Ann Arbor, Michigan

$40 means that one of my children can get a much needed dental check up.

A.A., Albuquerque, New Mexico

$40.00 a paycheck means $1040.00 a year for me. With 3 children in Catholic schools, that represents 2 months, 1.5 months, or 1 month tuition for one of my children. I'm also trying to save for their college plans and while $1000.00 doesn't go too far with college tuition, it certainly helps. 

W.J., Westminster, MD

What $40 a paycheck means to me is buying books for my daughter so she can learn the importance of reading and learning.  My husband and I believe in the power of reading and that is something we have agreed to focus on with our children. 

A.G., Murfreesboro, Tennessee