Dec 8

Dec 8 Supporting small businesses major focus in NY-22 By Claudia Tenney

Historically, New York’s economy has been fueled by the hard work and ingenuity of our small businesses. Today, this still holds true. There are more than 2.3 million small businesses driving commerce across our state. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that it’s harder than ever for many of these small businesses to not only keep their doors open, but to expand their operations. Potential entrepreneurs also face significant challenges to forming new business ventures. Between March 2019 and March 2020, New York experienced a net decrease of 13,658 businesses.

As a small business owner who operated our family’s newspaper packaging and manufacturing company, which my grandfather started after World War II, I cannot sit idly by while jobs and opportunity in our region are eroded by anti-growth policies that stifle prosperity. That’s why I have always gone to bat for small businesses, delivering real results to level the playing field and help ensure their success.

As a member of the Small Business Committee, in March, I launched a Small Business Outreach tour to hear directly from employers and employees. I’ve met with a diverse range of groups and businesses, including the Genesis Group. In September, I invited the owner of Liberty Tabletop in Sherrill to testify before the Small Business Committee about the importance of investing in domestic manufacturing, a fight I am honored to lead in Congress. Later that month I also launched my Community Opportunity Survey to get your views on the economic climate in our region. Thousands participated in this initiative, providing invaluable feedback that my office is compiling into a report that will be released later this year. Most importantly, over the last year, I have been honored to support seven bipartisan bills that passed the House of Representatives to benefit our small businesses.

Supporting small businesses in their reopening and recovery has been one of my top priorities. During the pandemic, so many businesses had to adapt to unprecedented circumstances to keep the lights on, the doors open, and their employees paid. The Paycheck Protection Program was established by Congress in 2020 to make this easier. This year, when I returned to Congress, one of the first bipartisan bills I signed on to was the Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act, which was passed and signed into law to extend the application deadline and authorization for this vital program. For our region, it was a lifeline. Many of the 94% of employers who are small businesses in New York’s 22nd Congressional District benefited from this extension. I also am honored to be an original cosponsor of the Entrée Act, which would invest greater funds into the Restaurant Revitalization Program, a bill I’m still fighting to pass.

If there’s one thing the pandemic also taught us, it is that we are increasingly reliant on the Internet. This creates opportunities, but also presents certain challenges. Small businesses are now more susceptible than ever to cyberattacks from online criminals who hide in the shadows. That is why this year in Congress, I supported proactive and bipartisan solutions to provide small business owners with the tools to defend themselves and their employees in cyberspace. Earlier this month, with my strong support, the House of Representatives passed the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2021 to deliver greater resources and training to small businesses.

From the Southern Tier to the Mohawk Valley and throughout upstate New York, small businesses deliver big results for our community, and that is why I am so focused on fighting for every one of them. So long as I represent you in Congress, I won’t back down from this fight. I will continue to lead the charge to support our employers and their workforces, revitalize our communities, boost domestic manufacturing, and bring well-paying jobs back to our region.

Claudia Tenney is U.S. Representative for NY-22

Special thanks to The Genesis Group for facilitating this article. The Genesis Group is a civic organization that unites Business and Community Leaders working to advance regional Economic, Social and Cultural interests, and to foster unity and cooperation in the Mohawk Valley region of Upstate New York.