ICYMI: Chairman Williams on the Impact of the Schumer Shutdown on Main Street

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In case you missed it, Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, joined House Republican Leadership and SBA Administrator Loeffler to discuss how Main Street America is suffering because Chuck Schumer and the Democrat Party are holding the government hostage.

View his full remarks here.

View a transcript of his remarks below.

"Thank you, Senator. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate Administrator Loeffler, and she's quoted you a lot of numbers, which are all true. But let me just tell you this: I chair the Small Business Committee. I'm a small business owner. I didn't sell my business 10 years ago. We still have our family business-been in business since 1939. I've been in it for 57 years.

I know what's happening on Main Street: when it's good and when it's bad, and let me tell you, Main Street is very fearful of the Schumer Shutdown. He is totally holding Main Street America, small business owners, and small business employees at bay because of his future that he's concerned about. It has nothing to do with it. Main Street is-99% of the businesses are small businesses. 75% of the payroll, 75% of the workforce, is small business.

It's every small business in your hometown, in Schumer's hometown, and in my hometown. I go over-and I'm not necessarily as much a congressman when I get home as much of a small business owner-and I can tell you what's happening out there.

I'm worried about the 99%. I'm worried about 75% of the payroll, 75% of the workforce. I'm worried about the fact that they cannot meet the payroll. As Administrator Loeffler said, with the SBA like it is right now, it's ready to go. We are ready to go. We've had more activity in the SBA since November 5th than we've had in years because people want to start a business. They see the Trump economy works. They want to start a business. They want to stay in business. I'm worried about that group of people. I'm worried about the fact that they can't meet payroll. I'm worried about the fact that they can't buy inventory.

If you can't buy inventory, you can't sell anything, and the truth is-if you want to go deeper into it-if you don't have inventory, inflation will rise because you're not discounting your inventory. That's how capitalism works. That's how the private sector works. That's how we compete.

The other thing we did before the shutdown, that, Administrator thanks to you, is the fact that we raise the loan limits from five to 10 million on manufacturing. We're ready to go. We're ready to expand. We're ready to grow your business, and I would tell you if we're lucky enough to have some more rate cuts, this economy-the Trump economy-along with small business, is going to lead the way and explode. But we can't do that with Chuck Schumer hanging an anchor around everybody's neck because he's personally concerned about his political future.

So, as a small business owner, I'm just saying to all of you: the greatest asset America has is its people, its Americans, and its Main Street America.

Risk and reward built this country. Right now, there's no risk and reward; we're just playing defense. That will not work. This Shutdown must end immediately-to save small businesses, to save consumers, to save Main Street America.

I am honored to chair the Committee. I am honored to work with Senator Loeffler. We can get this done. Everybody's ready.

It relies on one man: Chuck Schumer. Take a look at the small businesses in your district, or in New York, Senator Schumer. Tell them that you don't care about them. Tell them you don't care if they meet their payroll. Tell them that you don't care if they hire workers and see how that goes.

America is the greatest country in the world with the greatest workforce in the world. I'm proud to have a small part in supporting them and getting our country back on track.

May God bless all of them. May God bless America. Thank you."