Standing Up for Small Businesses HCSB hearing on Lending Programs and Community Banks
Small businesses are built on dreams, skills, passion—and, of course, money. The CNMI is full of talent, but one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is securing the capital needed to turn ideas into successful businesses. While our economy struggles, our entrepreneurs continue pushing forward, bringing their passions to the world. We must do more to support them. As we work to rebuild our tourism industry, small businesses should be at the forefront—ensuring that economic growth benefits every family. That’s why, in this week’s House Committee on Small Business hearing, I spoke about the challenges of capital access in the CNMI and explored ways to better support and grow small businesses in our islands. There is pride in small business ownership, and we should celebrate when someone takes the leap to open their own shop. But beyond celebration, we need a government that supports them every step of the way. The Small Business Administration has a role to play, and I look forward to working on ways to better mobilize federal programs to be available to our entrepreneurs.