SHAHEEN, COMMERCE NOMINEE PENNY PRITZKER DISCUSS NEW HAMPSHIRE ISSUES, EFFORTS TO SPUR SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH AND JOB CREATION

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, today met with Penny Pritzker to discuss her nomination to serve as the next United States Secretary of Commerce. Shaheen and Pritzker discussed a range of issues impacting the New Hampshire and American economies and Department of Commerce’s efforts to spur economic growth and job creation with a specific focus on small businesses.   

“We have to find common-sense ways to strengthen the American economy and I appreciated the chance to discuss those efforts with Ms. Pritzker,” Shaheen said. “Ms. Pritzker has been an inspiration to generations of women as she has broken through the glass ceiling in the business community, and I am confident that she will continue her success in this next venture. She boasts a successful private sector career and I hope she will leverage that experience to help our country create new jobs and bolster our small businesses.”

Shaheen specifically discussed her efforts to help small businesses looking to expand into new markets and the importance of the Department of Commerce in promoting economic growth.

Shaheen, the first New Hampshire governor to lead a trade mission overseas, has made export promotion a priority.  She has been a strong and active proponent for steamlining the outdated U.S. export control system and helped create the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant program to assist small businesses looking to take advantage of emerging global market places. Shaheen has also introduced two pieces of legislation, the Small Business Export Growth Act and the Go Global Act that aim to increase exports for small businesses.  Last month, Shaheen was joined by Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller at a forum in Concord with Granite State economic leaders to address trade policy reforms that will help bolster small businesses.

In her meeting with Pritzker this afternoon, Shaheen also discussed her ongoing efforts to support New Hampshire’s fishing industry, a significant contributor to the Granite State economy and an important way of life for centuries. Shaheen successfully urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare a disaster for New Hampshire fisherman and fishing communities struggling with revenue losses and the impact of fishery management decisions. In her meeting today, Shaheen highlighted the need to find funding to support coastal New Hampshire communities and the fishing industry.