Small Business

Keeping our businesses competitive

McMorris Rodgers believes the future vision of our region must include continued innovation, growth of businesses, reduced regulations, and low unemployment.

As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, McMorris Rodgers works to help small businesses remain competitive and successful. Small businesses are one of the main economic drivers in our country; they employ half of all private sector employees and generate 60-80 percent of new jobs every year.

In order for our local entrepreneurs to be successful, they need access to capital, lower taxes, lower regulatory burdens, a skilled workforce and open markets for trade.

Click here for small business resources

Legislation Cosponsored

H.R. 525 - Small Business Fairness Act
This legislation allows small businesses to band together to offer health care coverage to their employees.

Legislation Supported

HR 2890 -The Pension Protection Act
Reforming and Strengthening America’s Outdated Pension Laws: Includes tough new funding requirements to ensure employers adequately and consistently fund their pensions, gives workers meaningful information about the financial status of their benefits, and protects taxpayers from a possible multi-billion dollar bailout of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

HR 27 -The Job Training Improvement Act
The bill strengthens opportunities for Americans looking for work or looking to develop new skills to acquire better-paying jobs and streamlines government bureaucracy in job training services. The bill protects the rights of faith-based service providers willing to participate in the job training system, and the House rejected – on a bipartisan basis – an amendment that would have denied faith-based providers willing to help provide job training and other critical social services their rights under the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

H.R. 436 - Increased Capitol Access for Growing Business Act
Amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to provide incentives for small business investment.

H.R. 739 - Occupational Safety and Health Small Business Day in Court Act of 2005
Gives the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) additional flexibility to make exceptions to the 15-day deadline for employers to file responses to OSHA citations when a small business misses the deadline by mistake or for good reason.

H.R. 740 - Occupational Safety and Healthy Review Commission Efficiency Act of 2005
Increases the membership of OSHRC from three to five members to ensure cases are reviewed in a timely fashion. Increasing membership to five Commissioners will help ensure that cases are reviewed in a more timely fashion.

H.R. 741 - Occupational Safety and Health Independent Review of OSHA Citation Act of 2005
Restores independent review of OSHA citations by clarifying that OSHRC is an independent judicial entity given deference by courts that review OSHA issues.

H.R. 1077 - Real-time Investors Protection Act
Improves the access of investors to regulatory records with respect to securities brokers, dealers, and investment advisers.

H.R. 749 - Expanded Access to Financial Services Act
Lowers the costs paid by consumers for basic banking services through increased competition in the marketplace by permitting federal credit unions to offer check cashing and money transfer services to non-members of the credit union as long as the individual is within the credit union’s field of membership.

Press Releases

• McMorris Rodgers Recognized by Associated Builders and Contractors (June 20, 2007)
• McMorris Rodgers: Tax Day Reminds Us of Need for Permanent Tax Relief (April 17, 2007)
• McMorris Rodgers Votes Against Tax Increases on Eastern Washington Residents (March 29, 2007)
• McMorris Rodgers Hosts Second Annual Funding Workshop (March 22, 2007)
• McMorris Rodgers Votes to Protect Workers’ Privacy Rights (March 1, 2007)
• Washington Republicans Work to Prevent Tax Hikes (January 5, 2007)
• McMorris Supports Telecom Legislation to Increase Competition and Expand Access (June 9, 2006)
• McMorris Supports Tax Relief Legislation to Help Eastern Washington Families and Small Businesses (May 10, 2006)
• McMorris Hosts Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce at our Nation’s Capital (April 28, 2006)
• McMorris Introduces Amendment to Increase America’s Competitiveness (March 29, 2006)
• U.S. Chamber Honors McMorris with “Spirit of Enterprise” Award (March 15, 2006)
• McMorris Extends Tax Relief to Provide Economic Growth in Eastern Washington (December 8, 2005)
• McMorris Votes to Stop Frivolous Lawsuits (October 27, 2005)
• McMorris Joins Internet Caucus and Defense Review Panel (October 27, 2005)
• McMorris Co-Sponsors the China Currency Act (September 15, 2005)
• McMorris Holds Education and Workforce Roundtables (August 31, 2005)
• McMorris Votes to Protect U.S. Trade Interests (July 27, 2005)
• CAFTA Benefits Eastern Washington (July 26, 2005)
• House Passes Four OSHA Bills to Help Grow Small Businesses (July 13, 2005)
• McMorris Named to House Republican High-Tech Working Group and Announces 109th Congress Priorities (May 4, 2005)
• Education and Workforce Committee sends Small Business Health Fairness Act to the House Floor Associated Health Plans Will Help Eastern Washington’s Small Businesses (April 4, 2005)