Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a roundtable with women-led small business owners Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris stopped by a local bookshop and participated in a business roundtable event during a visit to Rhode Island on Wednesday.

The stop was part of a push by the administration to promote President Joe Biden’s priorities including his American Jobs Plan, a $2.3 trillion proposal to invest in roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

Harris said a large focus on the administration’s economic plan is on small businesses.

“Our small businesses in America employ half of the workers in our country, either the folks running the small businesses or their employees,” Harris said.

“When I think of our small business leaders, I think not only of business leaders, but civic leaders, community leaders,” she added. “It is you who are involved and engaged in the community, a reflection of the best of the community.”

Harris made the comments at a stop at the Social Enterprise Greenhouse, which helps provide entrepreneurs with the networks they need to thrive.

“The running of these businesses is not only about profit and not only about doing well financially but actually having impact in their community and measuring your success based on that impact,” she added.

Harris was joined by former Democratic Rhode Island governor and current U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and all four members of the state’s congressional delegation also attended the events.

“Small businesses have been hit so hard. Here in Rhode island, one in three small businesses have not survived the pandemic,” Raimondo said. “The one in three number — it’s worse for women-owned businesses and worse for minority-owned businesses. So it’s not an exaggeration to say it’s a crisis.”

Raimondo said Biden’s economic package “meets the moment.”

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