WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Small Business held a full hybrid markup on seven bipartisan pieces of legislation.

Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for calling this markup to discuss seven bipartisan bills that address a few different needs of the nation’s job creators.

Frankly put, the nation’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators, and startups are facing some of the strongest headwinds in decades. 

Unfortunately, this morning’s Consumer Price Index report highlights more of the same. 

From price increases that impact everything from food to gas to not being able to find employees to the continued supply chain issues, it is difficult to be a small business owner today. 

Inflation alone is the top challenge facing small businesses according to surveys published by the Job Creators Network. 

Unfortunately, because small business owners operate on the thinnest of margins, dealing with inflation often is limited and results in raising prices themselves. 

This is a continuous cycle that puts the nation’s smallest firms at a disadvantage. 

We must stop reckless spending in Washington, and we must stop it now. 

Pro-growth initiatives have worked in the past and they will work again. 

A low tax environment for small businesses combined with a smarter regulatory environment will allow businesses to return to operating independently.   

I look forward to returning to an economic environment that allows small businesses to grow, expand, and create jobs. 

Through this same lens, it is the responsibility of this Committee to examine issues through Congressional testimony and hearings and present prudent and responsible solutions. 

Today’s slate of bills accomplishes this.

Before us today are bills that tackle fraud and the recoupment of wasted dollars, bills that enhance workforce development in our country, and bills to strengthen the SBA’s federal contracting programs. 

All three of these topics have been discussed widely by our members and it truly represents how we, as a Committee, should follow regular order. 

I want to thank the Chair for bringing these bills forward as they represent the work and devotion of many of our Committee Members. 

I support each and everyone one of the bills and I recommend a yes vote across the board. 

With that Madam Chair, I look forward to today’s markup and I yield back.

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