04.11.2017

Senator Hassan Travels Across New Hampshire to Highlight Her First Bill, Which Would Help Ease Burden of Student Debt for Entrepreneurs

Senator Hassan Travels Across New Hampshire to Highlight Her First Bill, Which Would Help Ease Burden of Student Debt for Entrepreneurs

CONWAY - Today, Senator Maggie Hassan traveled across New Hampshire to highlight her first bill, the Reigniting Opportunity for Innovators (ROI) Act, which would provide the student loan debt relief necessary for entrepreneurs to start up and grow small businesses.

Through discussions with students and entrepreneurs at the UNH Entrepreneurship Center in Durham, women entrepreneurs at the Women's Rural Entrepreneurship Network in Bethlehem, and innovative business leaders at Conway Tech Village, Senator Hassan highlighted how the ROI Act would help entrepreneurs start new businesses by providing them student loan debt relief - and in some cases, student loan debt cancellation.

"The Reigniting Opportunity for Innovators Act is a common-sense step to help relieve student loan debt and give entrepreneurs the room they need to start up and grow new businesses," said Senator Maggie Hassan. "I appreciated hearing from students and entrepreneurs today about the challenges they face, and discussing how the ROI Act would help them start new businesses in the future. I will work with my colleagues in the United States Senate to move this legislation forward."

"I was pleased to join Senator Hassan and business leaders from the Mount Washington Valley today to discuss how the Reigniting Opportunity for Innovators Act would drive economic growth in our region," said Jac Cuddy, Executive Director of the Mount Washington Valley Economic Council. "Across the Mount Washington Valley, entrepreneurs are being held back as a result of the burden of student loan debt. Senator Hassan's ROI Act would provide these young entrepreneurs with key support, while also focusing on revitalizing areas like the Mount Washington Valley. This common-sense legislation is exactly the kind of step we need to be taking to continue growing our economy and supporting innovative businesses."

"We are seeing more entrepreneurs shy away from starting up their own small business because of the burden posed by high levels student debt," said Rich Grogan of the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center. "The Reigniting Opportunity for Innovators Act will help address this issue, providing student loan debt relief and giving innovators the freedom and confidence they need to take the risks necessary to start-up and grow small businesses. I am grateful for Senator Hassan's leadership on the issue and for her commitment to supporting New Hampshire's small businesses, which serve as the engine of our economy."

"Working in higher education and entrepreneurship, I frequently hear from students about the financial challenges they face in creating their own businesses because they are bogged down by student loan debt," said Ian Grant of UNH Peter T. Paul Entrepreneurship Center. "Easing the burden of student loan debt is essential to supporting our young innovators who are eager to turn their ideas into thriving innovative businesses. I commend Senator Hassan for introducing the Reigniting Opportunity for Innovators Act to support our young people, encourage innovation, and in turn, strengthen our state's economy, and I will be sharing the importance of this bill with my colleagues at entrepreneurship centers at other universities across the country. "