I’ve always believed small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy. That’s why I am always looking for new opportunities to support entrepreneurs  and inspire individuals to chase the American Dream right here in Eastern Washington.

The good news is that the House passed four bipartisan bills this week to do just that, including the: 

• Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act to modernize the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and help small businesses get off the ground with no-cost business trainings; 
• Women’s Business Centers Improvement Act to invest in training services for women entrepreneurs; 
• SCORE for Small Business Act to reauthorize the SCORE Program, which provides education and mentorship services for entrepreneurs across the country; and 
• One Stop Shop for Small Business Compliance Act to create a “one stop shop” website to help small business owners who often lack the resources to hire staff to focus on compliance issues.

Supporting small businesses is a win-win, for the entrepreneurs who create jobs and the communities that benefit from more economic activity. I’m hopeful these bills will make it easier for more aspiring-business owners to take a leap of faith, to open the doors to their own business, and find great success here in Eastern Washington.