By Rhett Davis, Region 6 Advocate
The Office of Advocacy visited every corner of Region 6 in 2019. We traveled to places from the top of the region in Oklahoma City and Fayetteville, to the bottom in Brownsville, Texas. We hit stops from all the way from Albuquerque to New Orleans to hear from small businesses about their regulatory concerns.
As we gathered information about federal regulations that are burdening small businesses, I observed a general optimism among business owners about their future and America’s future.
According to President Trump’s speech at the Economic Club of New York, a quick look at current economic trends indicates that there is indeed reason for optimism. More than 7 million new jobs have been created in the United States during the past three years. In 2016, the Congressional Budget Office had predicted only a 2 million job increase during this period.
Many of these positions have come in key sectors among blue collar, middle class workers. About 1.2 million manufacturing and construction jobs have been created. Additionally, our nation has added 50,000 new mining jobs and 128,000 new positions in the energy industry.
For the first time ever, 160 million Americans are employed, while the percentage of Americans who are unemployed is the lowest in a half century. Median household income is the highest ever, and 2.5 million American families have risen out of poverty. Small businesses are responsible for hiring many of these new employees.
A key factor in this success story is the impact that business deregulation is having. The Office of Advocacy is on the front lines, meeting with small businesses in every corner of the nation, gathering information about regulatory burdens.
If you reside in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma or New Mexico, I encourage you to let me know about your business’s regulatory burdens. Please feel free to call or email me.
On behalf of the Office of Advocacy, I hope that your family and you enjoy a great holiday season. We are looking forward to a fantastic 2020 with more growth and opportunity for American businesses.
Rhett Davis serves as the Region 6 Advocate for the SBA Office of Advocacy, representing small businesses in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Davis works with small business owners, state and local governments, and small business associations to bring the voice of Region 6 to Washington DC. He can be reached at Rhett.Davis@sba.gov.