June 8th, 2022: First consider that since World War II, veteran-business owners have fueled the economic engine of the nation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, veteran-business owners number more than 2.4 million, employ more than 5.7 million Americans, and contribute approximately $1.2 trillion annually to our GDP. In this regard, expanding access to business ownership for our veterans just makes good economic sense. Beyond the numbers, it’s also true that expanded action to empower veterans as business owners aligns with the ideals of service and citizenship, and the relationship between the role that our veterans played in defending freedom, as well as the role that veterans can play in creating economic freedom for themselves, and this nation through business ownership. In other words, who is more deserving of the American Dream of business ownership, than those men and women who put on the uniform and pledged to defend it?
