Abby Finkenauer

Ensuring that the youngest and most vulnerable among us are safe is also something that Democrats and Republicans can both agree on.

We know that more investment from the federal level is needed to address the childcare crisis.

Our businesses are losing thousands of dollars due to employee turnover because their workers cannot find reliable childcare.

Parents are turning down raises and promotions because they are afraid to lose childcare assistance benefits or just leaving the workforce all together because it is less expensive to stay home.

In Iowa, when I talk to employers about workforce development and ways to bring new investment into our region, access to affordable childcare almost always comes up and it is almost always at the top of the list.

May I check the balance of my time? The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Iowa has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.

I am, quite frankly, scared about the future of my state and my district.

In your testimony I know you mentioned how the ongoing trade war with China is hurting two industries that are heavily served by railroads, both agriculture and manufacturing, which we feel pretty strongly in Iowa 1 right now.

Small businesses create more than half of all new jobs in rural areas.

We still have more work to do to improve economic opportunities in our small towns and rural communities.

The shortage of healthcare providers has long been a factor in these closures, and at the Federal level, I know we need to take a multi-pronged approach to address these workforce shortages.

The availability of high-speed broadband internet in rural America is critical to a vibrant, growing economy.

I am proud to serve on the Congressional Task Force on Rural Broadband, and I am working to ensure that investments in rural broadband are included in any comprehensive infrastructure package that passes through the House.

Closing the digital divide is a top priority for me.

It is really important. You mentioned an issue with the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program, and I am concerned that this program has been left open to fraud and abuse.

Partnering with SBA has allowed AAVIN to make decades worth of investments that have strengthened our local and our national economy.

So what is your plan to reduce--I am glad to hear before Monday you are planning to do more, but do you have a plan moving forward here to reduce these delays in licensing approval?

I do not want the good work of SBICs and all that they do to actually be threatened simply because SBA seems to be asleep at the wheel in this regard.

I was really proud to get to pass my first piece of legislation, the Small Business Stimulating Innovation through Procurement Act of 2019.

We have got to figure out ways to create more opportunity in rural areas.

I came to Congress to help Iowa small businesses fuel innovation and create jobs.

It is more important than ever before to continue to support our clean energy economy.

I want to again thank Chairwoman Finkenauer for taking action to investigate EPA's refinery exemptions which are a severe threat to the clean energy economy in the rural communities.

As the Congresswoman from Iowa's First Congressional District, I know how important it is that we invest in clean energy and renewable fuels and how important those are to our economy and our environment.

Clean energy is a real opportunity to stimulate economic growth in our rural communities.