About the Chair

Maria Cantwell

Maria Cantwell

Maria Cantwell currently serves as a United States Senator for the State of Washington. As a respected leader – both in public service and in the private sector – Maria has always embraced the values she first learned growing up in a strong working-class family. With the help of Pell Grants, Maria was the first member of her family to graduate college. Later, a successful businesswoman in Washington's hi-tech industry, she helped build a company that created hundreds of high-paying jobs from the ground up.

Maria was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 and again in 2006, pledging to honor the hard work, aspirations and faith of the people of Washington state. She is working to create affordable opportunities for consumers, businesses and families, to make our nation more secure today, to foster innovation for tomorrow, and to stand with parents as they educate and care for their children.

Maria gets results. She cut taxes for the middle-class by ensuring that Washington taxpayers can deduct state and local taxes from their federal returns. She fought attempts by the Bush Administration to raise local electricity rates. When bankrupt Enron officials tried to charge Washington ratepayers for millions of dollars in undelivered electricity, Maria led the effort that successfully stopped them. Maria has protected countless jobs in Washington's aerospace industry by cracking down on foreign companies' unfair trade practices and has worked to create still more well-paying jobs through effective investments in new technology and valuable job training. Maria successfully led the fight to stop drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and is leading efforts in the Senate to make America more energy independent. She has been a proud advocate for better educational opportunities for our children and less expensive, more accessible health care for our families. Maria continues to build new growth and strong partnerships, insisting on responsibility and making life more affordable for all of Washington 's families.

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News from the Chair

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Issues

  • Contracting
    Access to federal contracts often means the difference between surviving and thriving for our nation's small businesses. One of the principle oversight responsibilities of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is to ensure that all small businesses have the opportunity to sell their goods and services to the federal government - this includes making sure women, minorities, veterans and other underserved groups have equal access to contracts.
  • Minority Entrepreneurs
    The number of businesses in our minority communities continues to grow, adding to our competitive advantage. Over the last 10 years, minority business enterprises accounted for more than 50 percent of the two million new businesses started in the United States and created 4.7 million jobs. There are now more than four million minority-owned companies in the United States, with annual sales totaling close to $700 billion.
  • Veteran-owned Enterprises
    As brave American men and women continue to serve around the world, the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship recognizes the economic hardships that small businesses can suffer as owners and key employees are deployed. The Committee is also responsible for overseeing assistance for helping veterans start or expand a business once they return home.
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Democratic Staff

Jonathan Hale  Staff Director 

Kevin Wheeler  Deputy Staff Director

Jane Campbell  Policy Advisor

Ami Sanchez  Counsel

Nick Sutter  Professional Staff Member

John Fogarty  Research Analyst

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