New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen Chairs Senate Small Business Committee
by Bob Coleman
Publisher
Senator Shaheen replaces Maryland Senator Ben Cardin who has moved on to head the Foreign Relations Committee. That vacancy occurred when Senator Bob Menedez stepped down following his indictment on a slew of corruption charges.
“As a former small business owner, I know that small businesses play a critical role in driving our nation’s economy, and I’m honored to take over as Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship,” says Senator Shaheen.
“With more than 33 million small businesses in America, I’m committed to ensuring that our nation’s entrepreneurs have the resources and tools they need to grow and succeed.
“In my home state of New Hampshire, more than 99 percent of the state’s businesses are small businesses and as Chair of this important committee, I will keep working to ensure they can continue competing in the global economy.
“I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with Ranking Member Ernst to pursue legislation that helps uplift and support small businesses as they continue to create good jobs in our communities.”
Her first hearing on November 1 Chair focused on the importance of the country’s outdoor recreation economy — it increased 19% in 2021 outpacing US economic growth of 6%.
Outdoor recreation represents 2% of GDP, or $862 billion.