Small Businesses Call on Congress to Avert a Government Shutdown

Washington, D.C. - Today, ahead of the Friday, November 17 government funding deadline, Representative Sharice Davids joined Small Business Majority and concerned small business owners and advocates to implore Congress to work together and do what they can to keep the government open. 

“A shutdown is a devastating blow to our economy and represents real consequences for hardworking Kansans, including our small businesses, which make up over 90 percent of employers in the Kansas Third. Small businesses in Kansas are already struggling with higher prices as well as inventory and workforce issues. They hardly need more stress and uncertainty. I implore my colleagues to join me in working across the aisle to advance legislation that prevents a costly, harmful, and avoidable government shutdown and to pass bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes the FAA and Farm Bill.” – Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03)

Click here to watch the recording from today's event.

There are more than 33 million small businesses across the country, many of which depend on federal loans, federal contracts and federal support. During a government shutdown, federal agencies like the U.S. Small Business Administration will be forced to close and, therefore, unable to process the loan applications small business owners rely on. As a result, small business owners may be forced to seek alternatives, including predatory financing products with high-cost and opaque loan terms.

“A government shutdown would be a disaster for America’s hardworking small business owners and their employees. With small firms unable to secure SBA loans to small business government contractors seeing their revenue evaporate, entrepreneurs across the country, particularly in under-resourced communities, will needlessly suffer. Moreover, small retailers are already seeing an impact on consumer demand,  putting our economic revival in jeopardy. Small businesses have weathered so much over the past few years; adding insult to injury would be devastating. Congress must stop playing political games and pass a fully funded budget now.” – John Arensmeyer, founder & CEO, Small Business Majority

“Small businesses are heading into Q4 and a string of major holidays. I know from my clients, who are also small business owners, that they are counting on revenue generated from this quarter to forecast business operations in the new year. It’s never a good time to experience revenue uncertainty, but especially not right before the holidays. Our policymakers must come together now to avert a shutdown. My small business community shouldn’t have to bear the burden of putting the livelihoods of their employees at risk simply because of political dysfunction.” –Talibah Bayles, founder & CEO of TMB Tax & Financial Services and Access Granted, Inc., Birmingham, Ala.

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