Rep. Pete Aguilar convened his small business advisory board for a roundtable discussion about some of the challenges facing local businesses in San Bernardino County and ways small businesses can benefit from federal programs. The meeting also afforded the Inland Empire’s small business community an opportunity to provide feedback on Rep. Aguilar’s legislative efforts to help grow small businesses and create jobs in the region. The advisory board was established after Rep. Aguilar released his Inland Empire Jobs Plan in the 114th Congress, and met for the first time in April of 2016.

“Growing up in the Inland Empire, I’ve always been amazed by the resilience of our small businesses, which serve as the bedrock for our local economy,” said Aguilar. He continued, “From creating jobs to providing spaces for the community to come together, these business leaders are an integral part of what makes us proud to call the Inland Empire home.”

Bud Weisbart, Vice President of AR Tech, commented that the conversation focused on “the driving force of our economy, which is basically the development of small businesses.” He added, “We dealt with issues that have to do with finance, that have to do with housing, have to do with the development of jobs in this area, all of which are critical.”

This roundtable is the latest in Rep. Aguilar’s ongoing effort to help revitalize the Inland Empire economy by making federal resources available to small businesses in the community. In the 115^th Congress, Rep. Aguilar has introduced multiple bills to help small businesses close the skills gap and create jobs in the Inland Empire, including bills to make it easier for military service members to qualify for Inland Empire jobs and to provide tax relief for businesses while they train new hires. The ADVANCE Act, his bill to allow active duty and reserve military personnel to more easily acquire commercial driver’s licenses, was signed into law by President Trump earlier this year.