Main Street Wants Urgent Action to Address the Debt Ceiling

May 2, 2023 

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House                                         

U.S. House of Representatives 2468 Rayburn House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. United States 

The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic Leader 

U.S. House of Representatives 2433 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC, 20515 

The Honorable Charles E. Schumer, Senate Majority Leader 

322 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 

The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Senate Republican Leader U.S Senate 

317 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Speaker McCarthy, House Democratic Leader Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, and Senate Republican Leader McConnell: 

As small business owners and leaders, we recognize the remarkable progress the U.S. economy has made since the depths of the pandemic. With low unemployment, robust hiring, and a surge in small business starts, there is reason to believe our economy will continue to recover through prudent investments and careful management. To foster small business success during this critical period, it is essential the country avoid destabilizing political conflicts. 

A political fight over raising the debt ceiling will result in economic repercussions and threaten the well-being of small business owners. Past debt ceiling debates have led to increased borrowing costs, stock market turbulence, and diminished consumer and business confidence. Such outcomes disproportionately impact small businesses, which generally have fewer resources to navigate economic uncertainties compared with larger organizations. To foster small business success during this critical period, it is essential to avoid destabilizing political conflicts and increase the debt ceiling without arbitrarily cutting spending that would hurt fellow entrepreneurs, veterans, retirees, and curtail our economic recovery. Debate is good and conversations about the nation's fiscal health should happen in the normal legislative process. Holding the faith and credit of the United States hostage is not a good idea for Main Street. 

We implore lawmakers in Washington to embrace action and prioritize swiftly resolving the debt ceiling issue to safeguard the economic progress we have achieved. Lawmakers must focus on preventing a default and minimizing harm to small businesses that provide jobs and economic vitality in every community across the country. With your support, we can continue to expand our economy and empower Main Street to rebuild even stronger. 

Sincerely, 

Small Business for America’s Future 

Small Business Owners 

Adedoyin Adeeko, Ages Rock and Associates, Jamaica, NY 

Isais Alezones, 365 Productions INC, Gilbertown , AL 

Wilmer Arroyo Alvarado, Khronos Corporation, Aguadilla, PR 

Kenneth Barnett, Synapse Capital, LLC, Fountain Valley, CA 

Gary Barthelmy, RGS Foods , Tampa , FL 

Zulieka Baysmore, ZeBay Development Group LLC , Baltimore, MD Lydia Bell, Invisual Creative Services , Tallahassee , FL 

Chris Boas, East Bay General Counsel, Berkeley, CA 

Rene Box, Out From Under REI, LLC and Doors for Peace and Rest, Inc, Spring Hill, KS 

Germano Brandes, Coca Cola, Baltimore, MD 

Mark Bryant, Floortex Integrated LLC, Supply, NC 

Jysn Calahorrano, JLC & Associates, Chicago, IL 

Christine Chin Ryan, Synergy Consulting, Inc., Portland, OR 

Dorothy B Christie, Discount Toner & Ink, LLC, Columbia, SC 

Margaret Chugani, ETSITAB Company LLC, Houston , TX 

Sandra Curley, Supreme Company Wholesaler of Books Inc., Lafayette, LA Mark Curley, Supreme Company Wholesaler of Books Inc., Lafayette, LA Anita Davis, Business2Banker Connection, Inc., Atlanta, GA 

Jacqueline Dixon-Gordon, Caribbean Interlink LLC , Columbus, OH Tia Douglas , Sky Diamond Massage, Las Vegas , NV 

John Duffy, Easterly Research, Warminster, PA 

Amin Ezzy, Khwarizm Consulting, East Brunswick , NJ 

Conchie Fernández, CF Creative, Pompano Beach, FL 

Lee Gamelsky, Lee Amelsky Architects P.C., Albuquerque, NM 

Cathy Garcia, VSC Insurance, San Antonio, TX 

Dennis Garrett, Blue Lake Clean Energy Group LLC, New York, NY Jolanda Gonzalez, Somos tu Perú , Paterson , NJ 

Susan Gotham, Gotham Professional Services, Schaumburg, IL 

Daniel Guerra Jr, AltusCampus, Inc, Madison, WI 

Patrick Hall, Élan Flowers, New York, NY 

BJ Handal, HCSI Corp., New York, NY 

Hani Hanna, D Remodel and Repair, Plano, TX 

Tameeca Harris , Royal House Restoration LLC , Washington , D.C. Kenneth Hart, K Hart Holdings & T/A Signarama, Norfolk, VA 

Tamara Hilden, Up North Daughter, LLC, Park Rapids, MN 

Shawn Hogan, Shawn D. Hogan Consulting Services, LLC, Hornell, NY Darryl Horowitt, Coleman & Horowitt, LLP, Fresno, CA 

Sharita Humphrey, Change In Motion LLC, Houston, TX 

Carnegie Johnson, IAYF Consulting, Sumter, SC 

Milton Jones, APEX Digital Imaging, Inc., Tampa, FL 

Joni Jones, Build A Box, LLC, Kingwood, TX 

Janice Jucker, Three Brothers Bakery, Houston, TX 

Gail Kitch, Miranda Consulting, Charlottesville, VA 

Michelle Kloske, SBDC, Huntsville, AL 

Kavitha Krishnan, Healing Synergy LLC, Franklinton, NC 

Natalie LaBerge, Proshred Seattle, Tukwila, WA 

Vickie LaGrone, Genuine Vacation, Grand Rapids, MI 

Jim London, Chubby Fish Restaurant, Charleston, SC 

Elizabeth Mack Frisch, The Thrival Company, Austin, TX 

Don Marette, Occum Health LLC, Cape Charles , VA 

Sylvester Martin, Tariq’s Restoration & Remodeling, Harrisburg, PA Lee McDaniel , Carberry Development Group , Providence , RI Patricia Mckinley , Khavl Transport , Mesa, AZ 

Nick Mealy, Sideview, LLC, Oakland, CA 

Marcella Medor, MarCom, LLC, Idaho Falls, ID 

Sanjay Mehta, Proeats LLC DBA Taco Bell, Montgomery, TX 

Tom Michelli, Michelli Associates, Inc, Ocean, NJ 

Adrianne Mickens, The Fitting Room, Washington, DC 

Sarah Moore, Catering/Event Planning/Specialty Gifts, Frankfort, KY Joyce Motley, Car and Truck Advertising LLC, Detroit, MI 

Moses Mubiru, Gramos Trucking INC, Roseville, MI 

Sara Nett-Torgrimson, Lavender and Linen LLC, St Peter, MN Janis Olson, FernCrest Winery, Andrews, NC 

Kirit Patel , Swamini LLC, Cotulla , TX 

Ismael Perez, Perez Auto LLc, Phoenix, AZ 

Richard Pfeiffer, Quiroga-Pfeiffer Engineering Corp., Albuquerque, NM Kiara Phillips, K&A'S "Extraordinary Cleaning"LLC, Baton Rouge, LA Elizabeth Race, Eco-Baggeez LLC, Cazenovia, NY 

Heather Ramirez, Havana Cigars LLC , Atlanta , GA 

Denise Ransom, Elite National Building Services, Columbus, OH Karim Razzak, Karma Contracting , High Point , NC 

Joe Reddix, The Reddix Group, Hanover, MD 

Elaine Rigsby, Elaine Rigsby Professional LLC, Redford, MI 

Patricia H Ross, Covenant Faith Outreach Ministries, Tupelo, MS Coleman Ross, White Fish Notary , Whitefish, MT 

Walter Rowen, Susquehanna Glass Co., Lancaster, PA 

Fouché Sheppard , Fouché Human Enrichment Studio , Charleston , SC Kathleen Sherrill , SP Arch Inc , Baltimore , MD 

Estrelita Shon-Roy, Techcet CA LLC, San Diego, CA 

Tara Slaughter, CFS Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc., Torrance, CA Lisa Smith, The Coaching Center for MindTraining and Success, Virginia Beach, VA 

David Smith, Senior Express USA, Columbia, SC 

Richard Snyder, KirbyDerby LLC, Tucson, AZ 

Kimberlee Spillers , Rural Community Solutions , Atlantic, IA 

Suzanne Stantley, BE Group Inc./Contractor Advisors, Inc., Chicago, IL Jonathan Thomas, FashionTV Network/ Great Lakes TV, Cleveland, OH Robert Thomas, Advanced IT Concepts, Inc, San Diego, CA 

Mas Torito, Kokoro Restaurant, Denver, CO 

Carmen Monica Torres , Sharpline Workforce Solutions Jobs, San Juan, PR Sylvia Tucker, Salon~derful, Memphis, TN 

Holly Udy-Meekin, Arthur Murray Dance Center Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ Se Underwood, Railroad Cleaners, Pittsburg, CA 

Eboo Versi, DMK Pharmaceuticals , Somerville, NJ 

Paul Vincent, SCORE Mentor, Ashtabula, OH 

Jack Vosburgh, Vosburgh Ventures LLC, Las Vegas, NV 

Josephine White , JNW realty team , HUMBLE , TX 

Icy Williams, Legacy 83 Business Inc, Cincinnati, OH 

Bernadette Williams, B. Smith Event Consulting, Chicago, IL 

A Wright, Unity Cable Tech Inc, Toledo, OH 

Jim Wright, R.S. & J. Hammer Construction, Webb, AL 

Anne Zimmerman, Zimmerman & Co CPAs, Cincinnati, OH 

Small Business Organizations 

African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs 

Central Ohio African American Chamber Of Commerce 

El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 

Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative 

Halifax Community College Small Business Center 

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley 

National Association of Women Business Owners, Washington, D.C. SouthWest Mobile County Chamber of Commerce 

Veteran Women's Enterprise Center