SHAHEEN HOSTS NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS LEADER IN WASHINGTON TO PROMOTE VETERAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today hosted Daniel Proulx, Jr., founder and managing member of Monument Construction in Nashua, to testify before the Senate Small Business Committee on efforts to support veteran entrepreneurship and veteran-owned small businesses. The hearing focused on several pieces of legislation, including Shaheen’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Act which would help get veterans access to credit through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and improve small business counseling programs for veterans. Earlier this year, Shaheen toured Monument Construction to discuss its efforts to hire New Hampshire veterans and programs that have helped the company grow and succeed.

“Making sure our veterans are able to get good-paying jobs is one of the best ways to support our men and women in uniform when they return home,” Shaheen said. “Supporting veteran-owned small businesses and businesses that hire veterans is a great way to accomplish this goal while boosting our economy. It was great to have Daniel here today to discuss Monument Construction’s efforts to help veterans find meaningful work.”

“While some found Monument’s initial growth predictions wildly optimistic in 2008, with support from our team, quality subcontractors, customers, and agencies such as the New Hampshire Procurement Technical Assistance Program (NH-PTAP) and the Small Business Association (SBA), Monument exceeded those initial goals,” Proulx said.  

“As you can imagine, I believe Senator Shaheen’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Act, which among other things makes SBA loan fee waivers permanent, deserves speedy passage,” added Proulx.

Monument Construction is a verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that works with multiple federal agencies – including the Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) – on construction and renovation projects. The company recently renovated its headquarters in Nashua with the help of an SBA 504 loan which provides companies with long-term, fixed rate financing to expand their businesses.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Shaheen has made promoting economic opportunity and jobs for veterans one of her top priorities. She has visited numerous businesses that promote the hiring of veterans and has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at supporting job opportunities for veterans across the country. The unemployment rate for U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was