WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), a small business owner and member of the House Small Business Committee, announced that Melissa Florio, President of Ambix Manufacturing, will join him as his guest for this year’s State of the Union Address.

Pappas visited Ambix Manufacturing in August of last year to discuss the impact the CHIPS and Science Act would have on businesses like this in New Hampshire and across the country. Rep. Pappas supported and fought to pass the CHIPS Act, which jumpstarted domestic semiconductor production and is helping America outcompete the world and make more goods right here at home.

“New Hampshire’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they make up the fabric of our communities,” said Congressman Pappas. “As a small business owner, I understand the unique challenges faced by our small businesses, and I am committed to doing all I can to fight for our Main Streets in Congress. I’m thrilled to welcome Melissa Florio of Ambix Manufacturing as my guest to this year’s State of the Union Address to highlight the critical role small businesses play in ensuring our economy remains strong. I am eager to continue listening to our business communities and bringing those stories and perspectives with me to Washington.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to attend the State of the Union with Congressman Pappas and highlight the impact that small businesses like ours have on our state and national economy,” said Melissa Florio, President of Ambix manufacturing. “I am grateful that Congressman Pappas understands what it means to run a small business and that he takes the time to listen to our perspectives and works to shape legislation that supports businesses like ours.”

Last Thursday, Rep. Pappas announced that he was appointed to the House Committee on Small Business. In that role, he will continue to be a leader in Congress, advocating Granite State entrepreneurs and businesses. Ninety-nine percent of New Hampshire’s businesses qualify as small businesses. Small businesses across New Hampshire employ nearly 50% of the state’s private workforce.

Last week, the House passed Congressman Pappas’s bipartisan bill, the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act, to examine problems small businesses in rural areas face when they attempt to access capital. Rural entrepreneurs and small business owners still face unique challenges in accessing capital, and only 49% receive the full amount of the financing they seek nationally. This legislation would improve their access to capital, in turn helping New Hampshire’s small businesses grow and thrive. Specifically, this legislation would expand the purview of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to include small businesses in rural areas. It would require the SEC to work on identifying and overcoming the unique challenges of rural business owners and entrepreneurs.

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