Vice President Harris visits Richmond to commemorate National Small Business Week

Vice President Kamala Harris was in Richmond on Thursday to tour Babylon Micro-Farms, a Richmond-based sustainable indoor farming startup that employs 35 Virginians and keeps all manufacturing local.

The visit was to commemorate National Small Business Week, a project of the Small Business Administration to celebrate American innovation and entrepreneurship.

“America’s small businesses employ nearly half of all private sector workers in our country,” Vice President Harris said. “Our small business owners are not only business leaders, but community leaders and civic leaders. Because of the investments we have made, because of the incredible determination of our nation’s entrepreneurs, America is seeing a small business boom.

“Since we took office, 10.5 million small business applications have been filed,” Harris said. “When we invest in small businesses, we are all very clear, we are investing in jobs, in opportunity, and in innovation. When we invest in small businesses, we invest in America.”

Fourth District Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan welcomed the vice president to Richmond, and then joined Harris afterward to highlight the steps the Biden-Harris administration and congressional Democrats have taken to strengthen small businesses and bolster domestic manufacturing.

“Small businesses, like Babylon Micro Farms, create new jobs, spur economic activity, and make our communities better,” McClellan said. “Despite this, small businesses, especially women- and minority-owned small businesses, face distinct challenges like a lack of access to capital and operational difficulties.

“The Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress are focused on solving these problems and providing them with the resources and support they need. At the same time, Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans threaten a catastrophic debt default that would devastate local small businesses. I look forward to continued collaboration with the Biden-Harris administration to strengthen our economy and support American small businesses,” McClellan said.