Alaska’s former state director takes part in NFIB’s Fly-In Hill Day
Alaskans stormed Capitol Hill to promote and protect small business as part of NFIB’s 2019 Fly-In Hill Day. Every year, members gather in D.C. to lobby for issues that are under debate in Congress. One of the most effective ways that NFIB members can educate members of Congress is to meet face to face. Four of Iowa’s small business owners made sure that Iowa’s federal lawmakers heard how the laws they passed impact small businesses across the state.
Denny and Patsy DeWitt met with Alaska’s Congressional delegation on July 17th. They focused on three key legislative issues: Small Business Deduction, the regulatory burden that threatens small business privacy, and $15 minimum wage. On July 18, the House passed the Raise the Wage Act, which would increase Alaska’s current minimum wage from $9.89 by more than $5 per hour.
The DeWitt’s sat down with both Senator Dan Sullivan and Senator Lisa Murkowski in their D.C. offices. They started out by thanking the Senators for working hard for small businesses across Alaska. About 142,000 people in Alaska are employed by small businesses in the state. Businesses owners have a lot on their plate and some don’t have time to speak with lawmakers thousands of miles away. That’s why the Dewitt’s traveled to the Capitol: to speak with Alaska’s congressional delegation in person. It makes a big impact.
While both Senator Sullivan and Murkowski support small business legislation, they thanked the DeWitt’s for speaking with them. The Senators both said it was a pleasure to meet with Alaskans who are passionate about what they believe in, even if both parties agree on the issues. Both Senators acknowledged that a $15 minimum wage would hurt Alaskans, and agreed that regulatory burdens are making it harder for small business owners to operate.
The Dewitts felt positive about their conversations with lawmakers and felt their voices were heard.
