WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Small Business is holding a full Committee Member Day Hearing.

Chairman Williams’ opening statement as prepared for delivery:

Welcome to today’s House Committee on Small Business Member Day Hearing. I want to thank each of you for taking the time to come before the Committee to share what you are hearing from the small business owners in your districts.

Member Day is an opportunity for us to get a pulse on the issues facing Main Street America. We deeply value your time and the voices of you and your constituents.

To me, owning a small business embodies the very essence of the American Dream: the opportunity for any American, from any background, to take a risk, work hard, and build a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Our economy depends on small businesses and the workers they employ. In fact, 99 percent of businesses are small, and they employ almost half of American workers. From local manufacturers to retail employees, service workers, and bankers, small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, shaping their communities through their dedication, creativity, and resilience.

It is no secret that small businesses have faced historic challenges over the past four years: the COVID-19 pandemic, out-of-control inflation, broken supply chains, high interest rates, and a national labor shortage.

To add insult to injury, overregulation and bad policies under the previous Administration hurt small businesses even further. Every extra hour of paperwork is one less hour they can tend to their personal livelihoods, and every inflated tax is an extra dollar that could have gone back into their business.

We see hope on the horizon through a pro-business Administration committed to lowering taxes and cutting regulations. House Republicans are working with President Trump and Administrator Loeffler to create an environment where businesses can thrive.

We salute the entrepreneurs who continue to fight and give selflessly back to their communities.

We are eager to enact policy solutions that will help pave a path toward success for both now and the future.

Here on the Committee on Small Business, our mission is to listen, learn, and better understand the challenges and opportunities impacting Main Street America. That is why we look forward to hearing from Representatives from across the country as they recount the experiences of the small business owners in their district.

Today’s conversation will shed light on the many challenges plaguing American small businesses. Increasing the dialogue between Members on and off the Committee can only strengthen and broaden our understanding of how to better serve our nation’s biggest job creators.

I want to thank you all again for being here with us today, and I am looking forward to today’s conversation.

With that, I will yield to our distinguished Ranking Member from New York, Ms. Velázquez.

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