At a House Small Business Subcommittee hearing focused on economic growth, Democrats argued this week in favor of initiatives to expand federal investments and close the skills gap plaguing millions of American workers and small businesses. Witnesses testified that due to a lack of resources, many small businesses face greater barriers to developing and retaining skilled workers than… Read more »
House Small Business Committee Democrats today tackled growing fears that small businesses are being left out of the federal contracting marketplace. In the process of awarding federal contracts, they argued, recent data suggests that more contracts are being consolidated, resulting in fewer opportunities for small firms. During the hearing, Democrats suggested that the adoption of… Read more »
Ask Congress to Evaluate Policies to Adapt to the “Gig Economy”
House Small Business Committee Democrats this week stressed the need for Congressional action on behalf of a new and rapidly developing sector of the workforce, millennials engaged in the “gig economy.” A generation hit hard by the 2008 recession, millennials are harnessing technology and partnering… Read more »
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Small Business Committee, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to impose metal tariffs on key U.S. allies.
“The President’s decision to impose new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and Europe, puts the… Read more »
Defense Package Includes Multitude of Small Business Democratic Amendments
The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a diverse array of amendments authored by Small Business Committee Democrats and aimed at advancing Democratic small business priorities. In all, the measures passed today will expand access to capital, improve vital small business assistance programs and increase… Read more »
The Department of Defense must increase efforts to ensure that prime contractors meet subcontracting goals, lawmakers suggested today during a Congressional hearing. The session examined the results of a DOD Inspector General Audit of two Army Contracting Command centers—one in Redstone, Alabama, the other in Warren, Michigan. The audit suggests that small businesses may have lost… Read more »
Today, House Small Business Committee Democrats convened to discuss Congress’ role in safeguarding one of the most crucial tools for small business success—the protection of intellectual property. For millions of entrepreneurs, securing a patent, trademark or copyright can jumpstart a business and create well-paying jobs along the way. However, for others, including many women… Read more »
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) commented today on the Small Business Administration restoring LGBTQ resources to their website. Last week the two Members of the Committee wrote to SBA inquiring as to why the agency had removed the resources shortly after Trump’s inauguration and why… Read more »
Late yesterday, two key Members of Congress wrote the federal Small Business Administration (SBA), pressing the agency on why it has deleted online resources that previously existed to assist Lesbian, Gay and Transgender (LGBT) entrepreneurs. In the Tuesday missive, House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY)… Read more »
Bills Will Foster Employee Stock Ownership, Strengthen Entrepreneurial Development Initiatives
Two bills authored by House Small Business Committee Democrats were approved on the House floor today. The measures passed today will increase access to capital for employee-owned ventures and improve the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) networks of Small Business… Read more »
