GOP lawmaker from Missouri takes over chair of Small Business Caucus in DC

Entrepreneurship and small businesses are the lifeblood of America, said Mark Alford, pledging to use his new leadership role within the Small Business Caucus to help fellow congressmen workshop and pursue policies that will “ensure the safety and prosperity of Main Street America.”

U.S. Rep. Alford, R-Missouri, publicly took over the co-chair role of the caucus Monday during an event in Washington, D.C. hosted by Americans for Small Business (ASB), an industry advocacy association. He succeeds U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Oklahoma, who had led the bipartisan group alongside co-chair U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-New Hampshire, since 2021.

U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri

“It’s an honor to step into this role, and I am fully committed to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessors,” Alford said at the Americans for Small Business event. “Our goal is clear: to drive forward policies that bolster the bedrock of our economy, small businesses. I look forward to working together with my colleagues in the Small Business Caucus and associations like ASB. With a bipartisan spirit, we will face the challenges and seize the opportunities to create a thriving environment for small enterprises across the nation.”

The Small Business Caucus — made up of Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress — works to advance common-sense, bipartisan solutions on behalf of our nation’s job creators.

Alford’s office said the Missouri District 4 congressman has already used his seat on the House Small Business Committee to pursue policies that would cut red tape, make the Small Business Association more accessible, and promote Main Street America. 

So far in the 118th Congress,  Alford has passed two pieces of small business legislation through the House of Representatives, including the SBA Rural Performance Report Act and the bipartisan Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans (SERV) Act, with U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas.

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Event host Americans for Small Business said it is committed to bridging the representation gap in Washington for small businesses and partnering with policymakers like Alford and Hern to champion pragmatic solutions and ensure the prioritization of our nation’s hard-working Americans on Capitol Hill.

“We developed ASB to convene key stakeholders on critical issues small businesses are facing,” said Howard Makler, chairman of Americans for Small Business. “Today, we are proud to have brought together some of our nation’s leaders and restaurant owners in our nation’s capital to discuss priority issues for small businesses. We look forward to many more conversations to this end.”

I’ve always said, America needs more small businesses. I’m pleased to pass the baton to my dear friend, @RepMarkAlford! https://t.co/k26H03qLpD

— Congressman Kevin Hern (@repkevinhern) March 12, 2024