At its core, I believe rural America is a diverse and often misunderstood region. Rural Americans have become marginalized by systemic economic neglect, corporate consolidation, and a widening political divide. And we must work to move past these stereotypes and reinvest in these communities through direct support. 

Congressional Republicans claim this bill is about election integrity, but the reality is much darker. The SAVE Act is a dangerous attack on a fundamental right, the right to vote, that will create major barriers to voter registration and threaten more than 20 million eligible voters in 2026. The SAVE Act is not just another voter ID bill. It is about voter registration and, at its core, would require every American to prove their U.S. citizenship with inflexible requirements and specific documentation, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote. 

I support the Second Amendment. It is your right to bear arms. And as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. We all have an obligation to be responsible gun owners. As a responsible gun owner, the rising rate of gun violence and mass shootings should concern you. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General declared gun violence a public health crisis.

Here’s a simple truth—things haven’t felt “normal” for a while. Life under this administration is fear, chaos, uncertainty, and distrust. This beautiful Democracy is being tested. We are breaking treaties, kidnapping a foreign leader, and having two government shutdowns in four months. Our elected leaders refuse to work across the aisle. ICE is out of control. Thousands of people are implicated in the Epstein Files. The media is dividing people and distracting them from the scandals rather than reporting on them. The political climate is heated. And Americans are growing tired of watching the news.

The billions of dollars allocated to ICE does not improve the quality of life for Americans. Instead, it funds a targeted agenda designed to purge anyone who does not fit a narrow, gate kept image of the country. This broken system treats the United States like an exclusive social club where the administration dictates who’s in and who’s out. The current administration and the Republican members of Congress are transforming the American Dream into something unattainable through terror and fear. This is not America First. 

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."

George Orwell's 1984

Throughout this series, we have explored my proposals to strengthen and expand the Small Business Administration—to secure the American Dream of ownership and opportunity. In Part I, we focused on the Hometown Economy, the microbusinesses with fewer than 20 employees that serve as the lifeblood of our communities and create jobs. We addressed the capital gap that starves these businesses of funding and proposed doubling the microloan cap to $100,000 alongside a new Main Street Direct Lending authority.

A healthy economy supports businesses at every stage. Last week, we addressed the needs of microbusinesses—of mom and pop shops. This week, we will explore the middle-market. The first challenge for middle-market companies is a legal and financial “no-man’s land.” They are often too large for traditional micro-lending and community banks, but too small to access public capital markets.