U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship, is leading a bipartisan effort to recognize veteran small business owners. Along with 62 colleagues, she has introduced a resolution to designate November 3-7, 2025, as National Veterans Small Business Week.
Ernst, who served in combat, emphasized her commitment to helping veterans transition into entrepreneurship. “Ensuring veterans have every opportunity to pursue the American Dream is personal to me. They fiercely protected our freedoms during their service and, now as civilians, exemplify the American entrepreneurial spirit. During National Veterans Small Business Week, join me in celebrating these men and women who have served their country and now their communities,” said Chair Ernst.
Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the committee, highlighted the impact of veteran-owned businesses in his state: “In Massachusetts, over 24,000 veteran-owned small businesses make our Main Streets thrive. Through their tenacity, their discipline, and the leadership skills they learned through military service, veterans are uniquely capable of entrepreneurial and small business success. As Ranking Member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, I will continue to work with my colleagues to support veteran small business owners and ensure our veterans have every tool and resource they need to grow their businesses, create jobs, and enrich our communities.”
Senator Ernst has advocated for improvements in Small Business Administration programs aimed at veterans. She has pushed for better financial literacy training for veterans and increased access to capital for them as well as reservists and spouses. In addition, her legislation—the Stop Stolen Valor for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Contractors Act—was signed into law with the aim of reducing fraud in federal contracting by ensuring only eligible businesses benefit from programs intended for service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs.
Earlier this year in Ames, Iowa, Ernst hosted an Entrepreneur Expo focused on connecting veteran entrepreneurs with information about government contracting opportunities at all levels as well as federal innovation initiatives.
