Nashua, NH –Today, on the heels of National Veteran Small Business Week, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) hosted a roundtable discussion with local veterans, business owners, and employment specialists to discuss how Congress and the local community can best serve the needs of veteran entrepreneurs and veterans seeking employment.

“As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the daughter of a veteran, I take great pride in working on behalf of the brave men and women who serve our country,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Small businesses make up the backbone of New Hampshire’s economy, and our veterans play a critical role in driving our businesses forward. We must do all that we can to ensure that our veterans are finding the jobs that give them the opportunity to utilize their skills and support their families when they return home. Today’s conversation was a wonderful opportunity to bring together employment specialists, veterans, and business owners to discuss the challenges facing veterans in the Granite State workforce today, and I look forward to bringing the feedback I heard today with me back to Congress, where I will continue to fight to ensure our veterans have the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in today’s economy.”  

During the roundtable, held at Harbor Homes in Nashua, local veterans and advocates shared their thoughts and concerns, and updated Kuster on efforts that are currently underway to support the employment of veterans in New Hampshire. Kuster was joined at the roundtable by Peter Kelleher of Harbor Homes, Greta Johansson of the Small Business Administration, and veteran business owners, among others.

Congresswoman Kuster is a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and serves as a Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, which allows the Congresswoman to continue to provide increased oversight at the VA to ensure that every veteran can easily access the resources he or she needs. Last week, the subcommittee held a joint hearing to discuss veteran-owned small business verification programs at the VA. At the hearing, Congresswoman Kuster called on the VA to more effectively strike a balance between ensuring the process is not overly burdensome for our veterans, while at the same time preventing fraud and ensuring that these advantages are truly afforded to small business owned by veterans.

Since taking office, Kuster has held a series of roundtables throughout the state with veteran service organizations and local veterans to hear directly from them about how Congress can best serve their needs. 

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