{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-chairs-hearing-on-future-of-american-small-businesses/", "Young Chairs Hearing on Future of American Small Businesses", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "IN", "Todd Young", "Y000064", "www.young.senate.gov", "toddyoung", "https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "**Click here or above to watch Senator Young\u2019s opening statement**\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, chaired a hearing on the vital role small businesses will play in driving economic growth, innovation, and opportunity as America enters its next 250 years.\n\nTo watch Senator Young\u2019s opening statement, click here.\n\nMore information on the hearing is available here.\n\nWitnesses during the hearing included Dr. Ajay \u201cAJ\u201d Malshe, CEO of Arkwright Space in West Lafayette, Indiana.\n\nSenator Young\u2019s full opening statement, as prepared for delivery:\n\nThank you to our witnesses for being here today.\n\nI appreciate your willingness to participate in this discussion about the future of innovation, and the role small businesses will play in shaping our economy over the next several decades.\n\nAs we all know, this year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States.\n\nFor the past 250 years, small businesses have helped define the American economy\u2014creating jobs, strengthening communities, and helping drive economic growth.\n\nAs we look ahead to the next 250 years, they will remain just as essential to America\u2019s success.\n\nAs the son of a small business owner, I grew up with an appreciation for the hard work and commitment required to run a business.\n\nAmerica\u2019s entrepreneurial spirit has fueled our nation\u2019s progress over the past two and a half centuries.\n\nBut the pace of change today is unlike anything many small businesses have experienced before.\n\nNew technologies, including artificial intelligence and automation, are transforming industries, changing how businesses operate, and creating new opportunity for growth and productivity.\n\nLarge companies often have the resources to implement these technologies quickly.\n\nFor many small businesses, however, the challenge is knowing where to begin and how to integrate these tools into their day-to-day operations.\n\nAcross industries, small businesses recognize that technology is changing the marketplace, and they want to keep pace.\n\nThat challenge is one of the reasons I introduced the AI for Main Street Act with Senator Cantwell.\n\nOur bipartisan legislation would encourage the Small Business Administration to provide small businesses with the information and resources they need to better understand and adopt artificial intelligence tools.\n\nAI has the potential to help small businesses reduce administrative burdens, improve productivity, and compete in an increasingly technology-driven economy.\n\nAt the same time, we know that technology adoption is only one piece of the puzzle.\n\nIf we want small businesses to succeed in the long term, we also need to ensure that entrepreneurs have access to capital, a skilled workforce, and a regulatory environment that supports innovation and growth.\n\nThis year, the Small Business Committee reauthorized and reformed the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer\n\nprograms through September 30, 2031.\n\nThese programs help entrepreneurs transform promising ideas into commercial products, strengthening partnerships among small businesses, research institutions, and the federal government.\n\nBy reauthorizing these programs, we help ensure America remains the world\u2019s leader in developing and commercializing critical and emerging technologies.\n\nFor decades, the SBIR and STTR programs have supported breakthroughs in fields ranging from biotechnology to advanced manufacturing to artificial intelligence and national security.\n\nAs new technologies continue to reshape our economy, these programs will remain essential tools for ensuring that small businesses have the opportunity to innovate, scale, and create jobs in communities across the country.\n\nToday\u2019s hearing is an opportunity to hear directly from small businesses on what Congress can do to ensure they continue to innovate, compete, and succeed over the next 250 years.\n\nI look forward to learning more about the opportunities and challenges ahead, and on the policies that will help America\u2019s entrepreneurs continue to innovate and grow.", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], 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