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Small Business Support

Rate the Issues - Small Business SupportSmall businesses were especially hard hit by COVID. Recognizing that much of our job and economic growth comes from them, there is bipartisan interest in helping small businesses. Proposals include:

  • Increase Access to Capital—Provide more loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • Cut Taxes—Lower the tax burden on small businesses and their owners, including by allowing small businesses to fully write off investments in research and development from their taxes in the first year those investments are made
  • Make It Easier to Provide Health Insurance—Shore up the small-group health insurance market so that small businesses can better attract, retain, and treat their employees
Congressional Rank: 5th
(5.4 Average Rank across participating congressional offices)

Achievability Note

While support for small business in general is clearly bipartisan, the challenge is finding practical federal measures in which both Democrats and Republicans have confidence. Many Republicans and some Democrats are concerned because too much small business COVID relief funding was spent unwisely. Under instructions to get the relief out quickly, the SBA did little to verify that applications were legitimate. The SBA’s inspector general has identified $78.1 billion in potentially fraudulent loans. Many Democrats are concerned that the tax cut options available will end up helping wealthy individuals who are already doing well at the expense of middle- and working-class Americans who are struggling.