Small Business
Jared grew up working on his family’s small business in Leeds, Maine and learning from his parents about the hard work it takes to keep a small business going these days. He knows small businesses are especially important to us in Maine, particularly in rural areas. From lobster boats to dairy farms to the remaining shops that line Main Street in towns across the state, Mainers have a proud legacy of independent, family-owned businesses that we must fight to preserve.
Small businesses provide more than half of the jobs in our state. So when Jared arrived in Congress, he sought out a position on the House Small Business Committee, where he can work directly on the issues that affect Maine small businesses. Jared leads the committee’s work to improve infrastructure for small businesses across the country and help them compete for federal contracts as chairman of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure. As part of this work, Jared passed a bill through the House to reauthorize and expand the Small Business Development Center program, which provides low- or no-cost business counseling and training at 11 locations throughout the Second District to help Mainers launch or grow their small businesses.
Since taking office in January, Jared has been travelling the Second District meeting with small businesses and convening roundtables with small business owners to learn what they need to succeed and grow. He’s focused on making Washington work for Maine small businesses and connecting them with the resources they need to be successful: capital and grant opportunities, business training, advising, mentoring services, and other programs designed to help them grow and create jobs. In September, Jared brought a congressional hearing to Machias, Maine to learn from small broadband providers and municipal leaders about the challenges they face bringing broadband to rural communities Down East.
Small businesses have told Jared that Congress needs to take action to improve our roads, rails, bridges, and other infrastructure. That includes finally making progress on rural broadband, one issue that small businesses struggle with regardless of industry. Jared knows Maine small businesses also need qualified, experienced workers, and he’s working to meet that need by improving the skills of Maine’s workforce through training and apprenticeship programs. He understands that Washington regulations often hold Maine small businesses back, and he looks to cut red tape when regulations don’t make sense for Maine.