Small Business Majority Applauds President Biden’s Focus on Infrastructure and Job Creation During Congressional Address, But Work Remains

“President Biden’s address to the joint session of Congress tonight demonstrated his commitment to investing in our nation’s infrastructure and to making essential benefits that small businesses typically struggle to access more readily available.

During his remarks, President Biden outlined several provisions in the new American Families Plan that will help small businesses and their employees. This includes policies to expand and improve child care, which will support women- and minority-owned small child care businesses, and ensure entrepreneurs and employees alike have access to the affordable child care they need to fully participate in the workforce. And we’re pleased he is calling for a national, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program, an idea that is supported by more than 70% of small businesses.

We also support President Biden’s proposal to make permanent the American Rescue Plan’s healthcare provisions that enhance affordability for those struggling with healthcare costs and to lower prescription drug prices. Our recent polling found that 34% of small businesses say it’s been a challenge getting health insurance coverage for themselves and their employees during the pandemic.

Finally, we appreciate President Biden’s continued call to invest in a robust infrastructure. Tonight, he once again asked lawmakers to come together to address the unpaved roads, crumbling bridges, slow supply chains, and weak broadband that can cripple a small business owner’s ability to efficiently run their company. Moreover, this much-needed work will require the efforts of countless small enterprises, and will create high-quality jobs.

Many of the ideas outlined in President Biden’s address were ones that we called on the Administration to advance in a letter to the president ahead of his speech. The Biden Administration has clearly shown during its first 100 days it recognizes that small businesses are not just the backbone of the American economy—they are its foundation, serving as centers of job creation, innovation and empowerment in local communities. 

All that said, these important proposals won’t be nearly enough if we don’t tackle all of the major obstacles small businesses face. That is why we’re calling for policymakers to put small businesses front and center by providing more financial assistance through grants and loans for the most vulnerable businesses facing a long road to recovery, a critical need that the president failed to acknowledge tonight.

Although work remains to be done, we are glad the Biden Administration is prioritizing policies that will bolster entrepreneurship and job creation, and we look forward to working with Administration officials to bring more positive changes to small businesses.”