Why any infrastructure package must harness Main Street

Earlier this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) went to the White House and made clear that fixing our nation’s infrastructure is a priority where Democrats and Republicans can find common ground.  

With this new plea, Congress has the opportunity to pass a 21st century infrastructure reform package, one that could unlock thousands of new jobs by putting small firms to work. In fact, for every dollar we invest in public-sector infrastructure, the economy stands to gain up to $2.50 in economic activity.

{mosads}As chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, I’m committed to finding ways that we can work across the aisle to promote new opportunities for America’s small-business sector. That is why any serious infrastructure proposal in Congress should take three major steps to ensure that Main Street is not left behind.

First, we must think locally. A recent survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce shows that 62 percent of small-business owners rated local roads and bridges as being of average, poor, or very poor quality.

When our bridges fail to receive sorely needed updates and our roads are left untended, it’s often our small businesses that pay the price. This takes a toll on everyday businesses like the family farmer who can’t safely transport his equipment across a bridge and the baker who is forced to make a late delivery because of the traffic on heavily congested roads. If we don’t act, the American Society of Civil Engineers predicts that by 2025, our failing infrastructure will cost $7 trillion in lost sales for businesses and 2.5 million lost jobs.

With most small-business owners agreeing that the federal government should bear the responsibility for funding infrastructure projects, one thing is clear. Any infrastructure proposal must first dedicate robust funding to breathe new life into neglected projects.   

Second, as the buyer of more than $500 billion in goods and services each year, the U.S. government represents a major market for small firms. This means that Congress must work to ensure that the wealth of contracting opportunities spurred by an infrastructure package is offered on a level playing field, giving small firms the chance to fairly and effectively compete for contracts.

To go one step further, Congress also ought to ensure that women-, veteran-, and minority-owned businesses are given a seat at the table to compete for new opportunities.

Finally, any infrastructure package must be attuned to the reality of being an entrepreneur in today’s digitally-driven economy. In March, my committee had the privilege of hearing from rural small-business owners like Afton Stout, who runs a small crafting business in rural Iowa. Like many entrepreneurs, Ms. Stout spoke to the benefits of selling her products online but also described her experience of struggling to find a high-speed broadband connection in her area.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, 19 million Americans still lack high-speed internet access, including nearly a quarter of rural America. This translates into lost opportunities for countless entrepreneurs who may have a great idea but lack the connectivity to get it off the ground. By building out our broadband network, we can unleash innovation across our country.

America’s small businesses are responsible for creating two out of three new private sector jobs. And they are not only found on Main Street—in fact, small businesses make up 99.9 percent of all businesses. Clearly, there is nothing “small” about these numbers.

My message to my colleagues in Congress is this: let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work on rebuilding America’s outdated and crumbling infrastructure. And, let’s do so by helping our Main Street businesses do what they do best, create jobs and opportunities in our communities. It’s time to pass meaningful, 21st-century infrastructure reform.

Velázquez is chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee and a representative from New York’s 7th District.