Chair

A third-generation Marylander, Ben Cardin has been a member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee since arriving in the Senate in 2007. Currently serving as Chair, he does all he can to support Maryland’s strong small business sector and the large concentrations of minority, women- and veteran-owned small businesses in the state. Nationally, he continues to work to ensure America’s small businesses are at the forefront of a strong, equitable economy.

Senator Cardin takes great pride in the role he and Senate Democrats played in helping small businesses weather the intense and sudden economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked across the aisle to provide unprecedented assistance to small businesses through the CARES Act and follow-on legislation that provided for an additional round of funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and special assistance for restaurants, non-profits, and shuttered venues.

Cardin continues to prioritize the need to increase access to credit for small businesses and entrepreneurs. He consistently advocates for greater small businesses contracting within the federal government, urging federal agencies to meet or exceed their modest small business contracting goals.

Senator Cardin’s top priority as Chair is to use federal policies and congressional action to achieve equity for underserved entrepreneurs in a holistic way. He fights for federal policies to improve our economy, create job opportunities and support small businesses, while bolstering our middle class and most vulnerable citizens.

Senator Cardin also serves as a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Finance, and Environment & Public Works committees.