First, thank you to all our witnesses for being here today. It’s a pleasure to have such a talented and accomplished group of witnesses representing the arts sector. As you can see, I am sitting in for Chairwoman Velázquez who was unable to chair this hearing today. The arts sector employs nearly 5.2 million Americans and contributes $919 billion to the economy annually. In my Congressional distri... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing surveying the current state of the creative economy and its overall impact on the American economy. The hearing gathered artists and creative workers to testify on the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their industry and ways that Congress can better support them. “The wounds the pandemic inflicted on the arts... Read More »
First, I’d like to welcome Inspector General Ware. Thank you for being here today. Your work has been indispensable throughout the COVID crisis, and you should be proud of your efforts to improve programs critical to small businesses. The IG’s office is tasked with reporting on the top management and performance challenges facing the Small Business Administration every year. While this year’s repo... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, Rep. Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY), Chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, led a hearing examining the top management and performance challenges facing the Small Business Administration (SBA) according to a report recently published by the SBA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). “Oversight of SBA programs is important now more than ever as we work to address the c... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its December jobs report: “The December jobs report showcases the resiliency of the U.S. economy as we continued to add jobs at a steady pace despite the spread of the Omicron variant. Last month, we added 199K jobs, and wage growth rose to... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Yesterday, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA), a bipartisan defense bill that includes numerous provisions to help small government contractors. Committee members fought to include several provisions that address critical issues facing small firms seeking procurement opportunities. “The government contracting space presents critica... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its November jobs report: “The November jobs report shows that the economy is working its way toward recovery at a steady pace. The unemployment rate is at its lowest level of the pandemic, more Americans are working or looking for jobs, an... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement after the House voted to pass the Build Back Better Act: “Today’s passage of the Build Back Better Act is historic for the American people and American small businesses. Since the 117th Congress began, House Democrats have been working to deliver transformational investments ... Read More »
First, I’d like to welcome Administrator Guzman. Thank you for being here today. We appreciate you coming in for another appearance before this committee during your short time as administrator. Back in March, when you were confirmed, small firms were still reeling from 2020, a year when around 800,000 small businesses permanently closed their doors – roughly 30 percent more than in a typical year... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, the House Small Business Committee, under Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), held a hybrid hearing with Small Business Administrator (SBA) Isabella Casillas Guzman. During the hearing, Administrator Guzman updated committee members on the status of pandemic relief programs, the challenges facing the agency, and the benefits of the Biden administration’s economic agenda ... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its October jobs report: “The October jobs report shows that the economy is shaking off the Delta variant and rapidly progressing toward recovery. Last month our economy beat expectations and added over half a million jobs. At the same time... Read More »
Thank you to all our witnesses for being here today. It's great to be joined by representatives from community colleges across the country. I believe that America's community college system is one of the underappreciated strengths of our great education system. The United States' university system is widely regarded as the best globally, but a 4-year degree isn't for everyone. At the same time, Am... Read More »
Washington, D.C.—Today, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), led by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA); the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), led by Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA); and the House Small Business Committee, led by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) released a new report examining the state of Hispanic entrepreneurship and businesses ownership in the United States. Acc... Read More »
Washington, D.C.— Yesterday, during a House Rules Committee hearing on the Build Back Better Act, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) delivered these remarks in favor of the small business provisions in the Build Back Better Act: As Prepared for Delivery “Chairman McGovern, Ranking Member Cole, and members of the Rules Committee. I appreciate the opportunity to test... Read More »
Since the 1980s, America has largely been mired in a slump when it comes to new business formation. This fact rarely generates headlines or garners attention in the media, but its implications are severe. New businesses make up the foundation of our economy. The entrepreneurs that launch enterprises and products are the catalysts for American innovation. The statistics paint a startling picture of... Read More »
