The holidays are a special time where a mixture of memorable moments along with the hustle and bustle collide, inviting chaos, magic and more.

From the time we hit the road or skies for Thanksgiving through the last hours of New Year’s Day, there is always plenty to do. That includes gestures both large and small showing others our love, appreciation, respect or recognition for the role they play in our lives.

We are all familiar with one common form this takes: gift giving. It is a staple of the season that is not only a sentimental exercise, but also a powerful force within our economy. As any company can attest, holiday commerce helps feed and shape their goals.

It has often been said that small business is the backbone, or lifeblood, of America’s economy. There are over 30 million local enterprises around the country, including nearly 300,000 in Arkansas that employ over 500,000 of our family, friends and neighbors.

We are proud to celebrate these establishments in communities across our state and the important contributions they make, economic and beyond.

That is why it is key to patronize them all year long, but especially during the critical period closing out the year. We even set aside the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday to highlight the significance of shopping locally at neighborhood retailers.

As a former small business owner, I am proud to work with my colleagues in Congress to recognize the innovators and job creators at the heart of every small business year-round. Just a few weeks ago, we also took the opportunity to acknowledge and applaud veteran-owned small businesses, which make up nearly five percent of enterprises in the U.S.

The value that small businesses bring to our communities and nation should be clear. That is why it is critical to enact policies that support them and help create conditions in which they are empowered to grow and thrive.

This summer, Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts. This significant bill delivered needed relief to small businesses. Its landmark policies made their tax deduction permanent while repealing onerous regulations and even ensuring workers benefit from the success of their employers by helping prevent taxes on their tips or overtime hours. The law will also help spur more investment by manufacturers as well as enable companies to fully expense business equipment purchases more immediately.

These pro-growth policies will invigorate small businesses to create even more jobs and opportunity. 

I am also pursuing other legislative priorities to boost Main Street businesses during this Congress, including safeguarding their access to capital with the PROTECTED Act. This bill I am championing alongside Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Congressman French Hill (AR-02) would shield small business lenders from a burdensome regulatory mandate related to identity-based data collection. Our entrepreneurs and the institutions that help finance their operations need to spend less time and fewer resources complying with this excessive rule and more time focusing on succeeding.

Small businesses are vital to Arkansas and our nation’s future. When they flourish, we all reap the benefits, and I will continue advancing the priorities that make their success possible.