Washington, D.C. – Today, Americans for Small Business (ASB), a non-partisan and non-profit advocacy association, convenes leaders of the House Small Business Caucus for a discussion focused on challenges affecting small business restaurants. The event memorializes the change in leadership for the caucus from Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK-1) to his colleague Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO-4).
Co-chair, Rep. Kevin Hern has led the caucus alongside his Democratic counterpart Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH-1) since 2021. Under Hern and Pappas’ leadership, the Small Business Caucus has worked to advance common-sense, bipartisan solutions on behalf of our nation’s job creators.
“Thank you Americans for Small Business for hosting today’s event and being a part of today’s announcement. Today marks not an end, but a new beginning,” states Rep. Hern. “I pass the baton to Rep. Alford with utmost confidence that under his and Rep. Pappas’ leadership, the caucus will continue to break barriers and forge paths for small business prosperity.”
Rep. Hern has been instrumental in shaping policies that resonate with the heart of America’s entrepreneurial spirit. In his announcement, Rep. Hern shows strong support for Rep. Alford, a leader known for his fervent advocacy and innovative approach, to steer the caucus towards future triumphs.
Rep. Mark Alford, in his first address as the newly nominated co-chair, conveys his vision and commitment. “It’s an honor to step into this role, and I am fully committed to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessors,” Alford says. “Our goal is clear – to drive forward policies that bolster the bedrock of our economy, small businesses. I look forward to working together with my colleagues in the Small Business Caucus and associations like ASB. With a bipartisan spirit, we will face the challenges and seize the opportunities to create a thriving environment for small enterprises across the nation.”
ASB is excited to continue collaborating with co-chairs, Rep. Alford and Rep. Pappas, and the entire Small Business Caucus this year. ASB is committed to bridging the representation gap in Washington for small businesses and partnering with policymakers like Alford and Hern to champion pragmatic solutions and ensure the prioritization of our nation’s hard-working Americans on Capitol Hill.
“We developed ASB to convene key stakeholders on critical issues small businesses are facing,” says Howard Makler, Chairman of ASB. “Today, we are proud to have brought together some of our nation’s leaders and restaurant owners in our nation’s capital to discuss priority issues for small businesses. We look forward to many more conversations to this end.”
Following the Small Business Caucus announcement, ASB facilitates a fireside chat featuring Mission Group Co-founder, Fritz Brogan. Brogan has been a vocal advocate in recent years regarding the surge in D.C. crime and its impact on small businesses, particularly within the restaurant community. Fritz states, “As a D.C. small business owner, I can attest to how restaurants and bars are still wobbling from the impact of COVID and now face a perfect storm of rapidly increasing crime, rising labor costs and half empty office buildings. The hospitality industry is the backbone of the Washington D.C. economy, employing almost 80,000 people in the city. Small businesses are grateful for the strong voice and advocacy that groups like Americans for Small Business provide as we fight for our livelihoods.”
The dialogue highlights this growing challenge faced by restaurant owners and centers on policy solutions to mitigate and safeguard this critical sector of the economy, as well as featuring questions from ASB’s network of over 25,000 small businesses across the country.
Today’s event sets a new precedent in collaborative policymaking, with an unyielding focus on the issues at the heart of small business success.
ASB invites small business owners, entrepreneurs, and advocates to join the movement and become part of a powerful network dedicated to the success of America’s small businesses. For more information, visit americansforsmallbusiness.org
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