VIDEO: In Senate Hearing, Rosen Asks Urban Chamber of Commerce President About Impact of Decreased Tourism, Rising Childcare Costs on Small Businesses

Watch the Full Exchange HERE

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) asked CEO and President of the Urban Chamber of Commerce, Cameron "C.H." Miller, about some of the struggles that Nevada's small businesses and the tourism industry are facing under the Trump Administration. In the last year, visits to Las Vegas fell 7.5 percent, as Donald Trump continues to push policies that alienate international tourists, undercut business development, and make it harder for small businesses to stay afloat. Rosen also asked Miller about the importance of addressing rising costs of care in childcare deserts and the impact the current lack of access to childcare has on small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Excerpts from the Exchange Below:

Senator Rosen: Mr. Miller, what you describe in your testimony exactly is what I've been hearing from our Nevada businesses. Some of the erratic policies that are coming out of Washington really have a detrimental effect on our tourism and the cost of doing business because travel and tourism are the backbone of Nevada's economy. Again, world-class events on the Las Vegas Strip to outdoor recreation on our public lands… Nevada's exciting entertainment and natural beauty invites visitors from around the world. And those visitors who come to all of our attractions, they draw in small businesses who want to participate in our booming tourism economy. We are known for those large casinos, but those businesses only make up one percent of our thriving business community. Ninety-nine percent of businesses in Nevada are small businesses, this is super important to us, and really the fabric of our community and the flavors of our community I will say. Mr. Miller, you mention that visits to Las Vegas fell 7.5 percent in 2025. I am hearing that the President's harsh treatment of our allies, particularly Canadians, we have a lot of Canadian tourists who love to visit southern Nevada - visitation dropped around 20 percent from Canada. What are you hearing from your members about how a slowdown in international tourism generally that is impacting our businesses in Nevada?

Mr. Miller:Thank you for the question, Senator. There are a lot of great reasons to come to Nevada. That is why tourism is the backbone of our economy and supports so much. What happens when visitors stop coming to Las Vegas, and I mentioned this. It doesn't just stay in the 1% of the businesses. It radiates throughout the community. What that looks like for a restaurant is one less table turned an hour. What that looks like for an employee is less tip income which then results into the barbershop or beauty salon having someone book every other week or every other month versus on their regular cadence. That has a radiating effect throughout the entire state. To every single business in every single sector that we can ultimately imagine, the decrease in visitors, international visitors, particularly those from Canada, who are the largest share of our international visitors on a regular and consistent basis, those international travelers spend more dollars and stay longer. When they are, they are spending all of their money, staying as long as they can, every business benefits from that. So when that is not happening, it becomes a decrease in the possibilities for every business owner.

Senator Rosen: I think you are exactly right. What happens even in the Tulip Festival [directed to Iowa witness who testified earlier], people come to spend there, and then your folks who benefit from that go buy other things in the community. Go out for an extra dinner, maybe buy a new washer, dryer, whatever those things are so it's really important.

In my last remaining moments, I want to get to childcare. The rising cost of childcare, the severe shortage of affordable options are squeezing Nevada families, families across the country. Lack of access to childcare is a problem for small business and parents alike. It creates a barrier for parents who want to start a business, grow a business. It makes it harder for small businesses to retain employees who are struggling to find affordable care. So, the chairwoman and I have a wonderful bill together - the Small Business Childcare Investment Act - a bipartisan bill. It's gonna increase the availability of affordable high-quality childcare by allowing nonprofits, your local church or synagogue, boys and girls club, YMCAs to take advantage of SBA loan programs that for-profit companies can to help those childcare deserts. So Mr. Miller, can you talk about how childcare prices really impact people who want to start a business or hire people for their business?

Mr. Miller: Absolutely. Thank you for the question, Senator. That is exactly what you are saying, it's a double whammy right.

First of all, new business owners, most of them are women and they are primarily the childcare provider. When they go to start a business, every entrepreneur has to put in more hours than on a traditional hour to get the business, to get that business off the ground. When that happens, they need childcare that they can afford, that is good and safe. Then you have the other aspect of their staff. So their business starts to grow and expand, they need to hire an employee. Well the employee needs to be able to find good, quality affordable childcare so that they can be there as much as they possibly can. When those two things don't happen, that means the business makes one less sale, or one less deal, or can sign one less contract because their staff is not available or the business owner themselves is not available. So it is key to the success of small business growth.

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