WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Small Business is holding a hearing titled “Main Street Under Attack: The Cost of Crime on Small Businesses.”

Chairman Roger Williams’ opening statement as prepared for delivery:

Welcome to today’s hearing titled Main Street Under Attack: The Cost of Crime on Small Businesses.

Today’s hearing on crime is unfortunately timely. As many of you know, on the day before Thanksgiving last week, two West Virginia National Guard Members were violently ambushed in our Nation’s capital.

Tragically, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom lost her life, and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe continues to fight for his. We continue to pray for their families during this devastating time.

I want to thank our witnesses for joining us today. We recognize many of you have traveled to be here, and we appreciate your time and perspective.

America’s prosperity begins on Main Street, where small business owners work hard to create jobs and build a community. However, Main Street businesses are under attack in many cities across the country. Violent crime, organized retail theft, and petty shoplifting are hitting small businesses hard.

As a small business owner myself in the car dealer industry – we have seen an uptick in stolen inventory and cyberattacks. This increased crime has a devastating impact on our operations. These costs cannot be passed onto the consumer.

Unfortunately, this crime is being fueled by political choices that embrace soft-on-crime policies at the expense of hardworking Americans.

Policies like cashless bail, defunding the police, and prosecutorial decisions that fail to impose consequences for repeat offenders make it extremely difficult for mom-and-pop shops to operate. 

All too often, we see headlines of repeat offenders committing horrific crimes. In Charlotte, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was commuting home from work at a pizzeria when she was horrifically stabbed in the neck. The murderer had 14 prior arrests. And last month, a 26-year-old woman was set on fire in the Chicago subway by a man who had 53 criminal cases against him, with only two resulting in jail time. This should not be possible in a civilized society.

Even more alarming, statistics from government agencies are likely missing this spike in crime. More than half of small businesses don’t bother reporting thefts anymore because of limited police response.

Crime creates uncertainty, raises costs, and drives away customers. When small business owners are forced to install expensive security systems, lock goods away on shelves, and brace for daily theft, they divert capital from hiring, expanding, and innovating.

These challenges are not limited to physical crime. Cybercrime is a growing and significant threat to Main Street. Small businesses are 210 percent more likely to experience a cyberattack than large companies, simply because they lack the resources to implement strong cybersecurity policies.

Attackers know this. Our foreign adversaries knowingly target smaller companies because they assume weaker defenses and faster payout.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent, small businesses are at greater risk of AI-generated emails, impersonation schemes, and scams.

That is why I am thankful that President Trump is taking decisive action to Make America Safe Again. President Trump is restoring law and order to cities across the country and taking decisive action to deter cybercriminals by reversing weak Biden-Harris-era mandates.

By restoring law and order, strengthening cybersecurity, and reversing failed soft-on-crime policies. Republicans are giving small businesses the stability and confidence they need to grow, compete, and succeed.

I want to again thank all of you for joining us today, and I look forward to the conversation ahead.

I yield to our Ranking Member from New York, Mrs. Velázquez.

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