United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration and is also charged with researching and investigating all problems of American small business enterprises.

Senate Small Business Committee

Standing committee
Active United States Senate 118th Congress
History
Formed	February 20, 1950
Leadership
Chair	Jeanne Shaheen (D) Since September 27, 2023
Ranking member	Joni Ernst (R) Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats	19 members
Political parties	Majority (10)   Democratic (10) Minority (9)   Republican (9)
Jurisdiction
Oversight authority	Small Business Administration
House counterpart	House Committee on Small Business
Website
www.sbc.senate.gov

History

On October 8, 1940, the Senate established the Special Committee to Study and Survey Problems of Small Business Enterprises (also known as the Special Committee to Study Problems of American Small Business). On January 31, 1949, this special committee was terminated, but on February 20, 1950, the Select Committee on Small Business was created with approval of Senate Resolution 58 during the 81st Congress. That first committee had just nine members. It was the first select committee created by the Senate that still operates today.

The select committee was terminated on March 25, 1981, when it became the Committee on Small Business, a standing committee. On June 29, 2001, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) changed the name of the committee to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

The committee's jurisdiction has been changed several times since it was first created, through additional powers or by changing the manner in which committee members are appointed. While first established as a select committee with limited responsibilities, it now possesses virtually all the characteristics of a standing committee, as outlined under Senate Rule 25.

During the 96th Congress, the committee acted on legislation to reauthorize the Small Business Administration that expanded the agency to include loan programs for employee ownership, Small Business Development Centers, and increased export development assistance for small businesses.

Since its creation, the committee has held hearings on paperwork reduction and elimination (which eventually led to the Paperwork Reduction Act), capital formation, tax and securities law reform for small business, steel plant shutdowns, and the impact of inflation on governmental actions on the housing industry.

The committee was changed from small business to Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship beginning in 1981.

Jurisdiction

Initially, the Small Business Committee only had limited oversight over the Small Business Administration. The committee was directed to report to the Senate from time to time with its recommendations regarding small business matters.

With the adoption of S. Res. 272 during the 82nd Congress, the committee was granted subpoena power, and the ability to "sit and act at such times during the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the Senate." These abilities are common to the other standing committees in the Senate. S. Res. 272 also provided for a more structured committee, with specific requirements on a quorum of members needed for the committee to conduct its business, and its own committee staff.

S. Res. 58 stipulated that beginning with the 95th Congress, the Small Business Committee would be granted jurisdiction over all legislation relating to the Small Business Administration. This ability was granted S. Res. 104, agreed to on April 29, 1976, provided for this new jurisdiction, granting not only authority over small business legislation but additional oversight over the agency as well. The committee has also been granted the right of re-referral of legislation from other standing committees, where appropriate.

Today, the jurisdiction of the committee is roughly the same as it was when it was first established, chiefly the Small Business Administration and the Small Investment Act. However, by tradition, the committee reviews all matters that apply to small business that are not by themselves subject to the jurisdiction over another standing committee. The committee continues to study and survey by means of research and investigation all problems of American small business enterprises, with the intent to provide advice to Congress in enacting appropriate legislation. The committee also is responsible for reviewing nominations for positions within the Small Business Administration, including its Administrator, Chief Council for Advocacy, and Inspector General.

Members, 118th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire, Chair (from September 27, 2023) Ben Cardin, Maryland, Chair (until September 27, 2023) Maria Cantwell, Washington Ed Markey, Massachusetts Cory Booker, New Jersey Chris Coons, Delaware Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada John Hickenlooper, Colorado	Joni Ernst, Iowa, Ranking Member Marco Rubio, Florida Jim Risch, Idaho Rand Paul, Kentucky Tim Scott, South Carolina Todd Young, Indiana John Kennedy, Louisiana Josh Hawley, Missouri Ted Budd, North Carolina

Chairs

Select Committee on Small Business

	Name	Party	State	Years
	John Sparkman	Democratic	Alabama	1950–1953
	Edward John Thye	Republican	Minnesota	1953–1955
	John Sparkman	Democratic	Alabama	1955–1967
	George Smathers	Democratic	Florida	1967–1969
	Alan Bible	Democratic	Nevada	1969–1974
	Gaylord Nelson	Democratic	Wisconsin	1974–1981

Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship

	Name	Party	State	Years
	Lowell Weicker	Republican	Connecticut	1981–1987
	Dale Bumpers	Democratic	Arkansas	1987–1995
	Kit Bond	Republican	Missouri	1995–2001
	John Kerry	Democratic	Massachusetts	2001
	Kit Bond	Republican	Missouri	2001
	John Kerry	Democratic	Massachusetts	2001–2003
	Olympia Snowe	Republican	Maine	2003–2007
	John Kerry	Democratic	Massachusetts	2007–2009
	Mary Landrieu	Democratic	Louisiana	2009–2014
	Maria Cantwell	Democratic	Washington	2014–2015
	David Vitter	Republican	Louisiana	2015–2017
	Jim Risch	Republican	Idaho	2017–2019
	Marco Rubio	Republican	Florida	2019–2021
	Ben Cardin	Democratic	Maryland	2021–2023
	Jeanne Shaheen	Democratic	New Hampshire	2023–present

Historical committee rosters

117th Congress

Majority	Minority
Ben Cardin, Maryland, Chairman Maria Cantwell, Washington Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Ed Markey, Massachusetts Cory Booker, New Jersey Chris Coons, Delaware Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada John Hickenlooper, Colorado	Rand Paul, Kentucky, Ranking Member Marco Rubio, Florida Jim Risch, Idaho Tim Scott, South Carolina Joni Ernst, Iowa Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma Todd Young, Indiana John Kennedy, Louisiana Josh Hawley, Missouri Roger Marshall, Kansas

116th Congress

Majority	Minority
Marco Rubio, Florida, Chairman Jim Risch, Idaho Rand Paul, Kentucky Tim Scott, South Carolina Joni Ernst, Iowa Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma Todd Young, Indiana John Kennedy, Louisiana Mitt Romney, Utah Josh Hawley, Missouri	Ben Cardin, Maryland, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Maria Cantwell, Washington Ed Markey, Massachusetts Cory Booker, New Jersey Chris Coons, Delaware Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada

115th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jim Risch, Idaho, Chair Marco Rubio, Florida Rand Paul, Kentucky Tim Scott, South Carolina Joni Ernst, Iowa Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma Todd Young, Indiana Mike Enzi, Wyoming Mike Rounds, South Dakota John Kennedy, Louisiana	Ben Cardin, Maryland, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Maria Cantwell, Washington Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota Ed Markey, Massachusetts Cory Booker, New Jersey Chris Coons, Delaware Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tammy Duckworth, Illinois

Source

See also

• List of current United States Senate committees
• U.S. House Committee on Small Business

External links

• Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, official website (Archive)
• Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.

References

• Riddick, Floyd M., and Alan S. Frumin. "Committee on Small Business" in Riddick's Senate Procedure, 378–81. United States Senate, 101st Congress, 2nd Session, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1992.