GOP Members Want Small-Business Owners to Sound Off By Jessica Estepa, Roll Call Republican members of the House Small Business Committee are launching an online initiative Friday to invite small-business owners to share their stories and opinions on policies. The Small Biz Open Mic, which will be hosted on the GOP’s committee website, will allow business owners to send their feedback… Read more »

The Hill: Rep. Ellmers: Reform law may hamper small insurers August 30, 2011 By Sam Baker   The Health and Human Services Department hasn’t adequately addressed the needs of small insurance companies — and small employers — as it implements the healthcare reform law, Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) said in a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Ellmers, who chairs the House… Read more »

GOP Lawmaker Wants Changes in HHS Rule for Health Exchanges By Emily Ethridge, Congressional Quarterly August 30, 2011 A House subcommittee chairwoman is urging the Obama administration to clarify its proposed rule on the health care law’s state insurance exchanges to prevent small businesses from being unduly burdened and to keep small insurers in the market. The Department of… Read more »

 Firms Face Hurdles Overseas By Angus Loten, Wall Street Journal August 25, 2011 When Nancy Simmons was contacted by customers in Brazil about buying refurbished aerospace parts from her Orlando, Fla., plant, she wasn't sure how to handle the language barrier. None of her eight employees spoke Portuguese, and she didn't have the… Read more »

Trade Pacts Urged for Export Growth By Angus Loten, Wall Street Journal July 28, 2011 With a target of doubling exports by 2015, the Obama Administration needs to push through pending free-trade pacts with Colombia, Panama and South Korea to level the playing field for smaller U.S. exporters, House lawmakers said Wednesday. “Until the administration and Congress act on these… Read more »

Lawmakers Revisit Some Worries About Consumer Bureau By Ben Protess, New York Times July 28 With the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau formally opening its doors this month, a year after Congress created it to oversee Wall Street’s biggest banks, some lawmakers have begun sounding alarms once again about its impact on community banks… Read more »

Treasury Releases Funds to Spur Business Lending By Glenn Somerville, Reuters July 7, 2011 Six community banks will get $123 million from a special fund at the U.S. Treasury Department that was created to spur lending to small businesses but has drawn criticism for being slow to kick into action. Treasury said the disbursements, the first… Read more »

Chairman Sam Graves Discusses Small Business Uncertainty on MSNBC's "Your Business" "There is so much apprehension out there, in terms of small business"     CLICK HERE to view On Sunday, Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Chairman of the Small Business Committee, appeared on MSNBC’s "Your Business" show to… Read more »

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to Testify Before Small Business Committee Wednesday WASHINGTON, DC— On Wednesday, June 22nd, House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) will hold a full committee hearing entitled, The State of Small Business Access to Capital and Credit: The View from Secretary Geithner. “One of the biggest issues faced by small businesses is the… Read more »

Rep. Jeff Landry Highlights Unnecessary Regulations That Are Killing Gulf Jobs "It’s hard to work and earn a living under those regulations" "Now tell me how regulations are not smothering our economy" CLICK HERE to view During today’s House Small Business Committee hearing to examine the impact on federal regulations on small… Read more »