HENDERSON, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, spoke at the Pancakes and Politics event hosted by the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. Senator Rosen spoke about some of her recent legislative actions, congressional milestones, and discussed how she will continue fighting for Nevada’s small business community on the issues that matter most to them via the appropriations process.
“This event was a great opportunity to speak face to face with the people who are innovating, building businesses, and creating jobs in southern Nevada,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “We discussed a wide range of subjects, including my Building Blocks of STEM and Cyber Ready Workforce bills, both of which will work to improve access to STEM education and apprenticeship opportunities here in Nevada and across the country. I will continue to pursue forward-thinking legislation to diversify our economy and better the lives of Nevadans.”
BACKGROUND: Nevada is home to more than 200,000 small business and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 business-friendly states.
Rosen recently filed several appropriations requests to help Nevada’s small businesses, including to increase funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (MEP), which funds Nevada Industry Excellence and indirectly provides assistance to more than 300 manufacturing businesses in the state each year, from Fisher Space Pen to Popcorn Girl. The President’s most recent budget proposes slashing MEP by 96 percent. In the House, Rosen co-led a successful effort on the House floor to restore funding for MEP that the Administration had tried to cut.
Last month, Rosen joined her colleagues in requesting $30 million in funding for the Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center (WBC) program, which provides specialized counseling and assistance to women entrepreneurs in underserved communities. Senator Rosen also joined her colleagues in requesting $39.5 million for the SBA Microloan program, which provides technical assistance and small-scale loans to small businesses that are unable to qualify for conventional loans and other SBA guaranteed loans.
Rosen’s bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act — which would increase science, technology, engineering, and math opportunities for young children and help promote computer science education for girls – passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation earlier this week.
Last Congress, then-Congresswoman Rosen was one of a small group of Democrats to receive the U.S. Chamber’s Spirit of Enterprise Award for her support for pro-growth policies in the first session of the 115th Congress. Rosen was one of only 13 Democrats in Congress to receive the award
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