Small Business
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. For over 50 years, I have run a family-owned car dealership and calf-cow operation. My real-world business experiences have helped me understand how policy impacts small business owners and day-to-day operations, which guides my decisions as a legislator. In the 118th Congress, I am proud to serve as the Chairman of the House Small Business Committee.
As one of the few business owners in Congress, I understand firsthand the effects of increased taxes, government regulations, and bureaucracy that hurt small businesses and economic growth. As Chairman, I am focused on addressing issues ranging from government deregulation, fiscal conservatism, helping struggling business recover from the government mandated COVID-19 lockdowns, holding the Small Business Administration (SBA) accountable, and more.
Check out the House Committee on Small Business website to keep up with what my Committee has been doing to help businesses across the U.S. and in Texas: https://smallbusiness.house.gov/. Some of my work includes:
- My bill, H.R. 7129, the Put America on Commission Act of 2024, passed out of Committee, which maximizes recovery efforts for fraudulent pandemic loan funds.
- My bill to hold fraudsters accountable by prohibiting individuals convicted of defrauding the Government from receiving any future assistance from the SBA (H.R. 5427), passed the House of Representatives on November 28, 2023.
- The House passed my bill, H.R. 1606, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2023, which provides a path to help veterans begin their entrepreneurship journey in starting a small business through the Boots to Business program.
- My bill, H.R. 1730, Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act, passed out of Committee, which utilizes federal resources to assist small businesses in hiring recent graduates from career and technical education programs.