Senator Hassan Questions Secretary of Commerce Nominee Wilbur Ross On Commitment to Supporting Small Businesses, Promoting Innovative Technology
Senator Hassan Questions Secretary of Commerce Nominee Wilbur Ross On Commitment to Supporting Small Businesses, Promoting Innovative Technology
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan participated in the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing for Wilbur Ross, President-elect Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Commerce.
"With leading innovation-based companies helping position New Hampshire as an emerging high-tech hub, I appreciated the opportunity to ask Mr. Ross about his plans to support new and young businesses that are helping drive our 21st century economy," Senator Hassan said. "I was also pleased to hear Mr. Ross's acknowledgement of the importance of supporting small businesses by committing to coordinate with other departments to provide technical assistance and help small businesses increase exports of their products. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to support innovative, job-creating businesses, to strengthen our workforce and to keep our economy moving forward."
Senator Hassan also asked Mr. Ross about his plans to support New Hampshire's important fishing industry, particularly as the cost of at-sea monitors will fall on small fishing businesses this year if an agreement is not reached with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Mr. Ross responded by saying, "As we discussed, it's really a question of how can we set up the least expensive mechanism for assuring that people are adhering to the rules, and usually putting in technological devices is a net saver of costs. It sounds in this particular case like it's the reverse, so I would look forward to researching that and trying to figure out how do we accomplish the necessary objective of enforcement without putting undue hardship on the small boat fisherman."
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