Congressman Bean Named 2024 Hero of Main Street

WASHINGTON—The National Retail Federation (NRF) recently presented U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) with the Hero of Main Street Award. Congressman Bean earned this honor for his tireless work during the 118^th Congress to prioritize small businesses and empower a vibrant retail industry. 

In Florida, retail directly supports more than 2.3 million local jobs and contributes more than $357.4 billion in economic activity.

“As a former small business owner, I know firsthand the burdens small businesses face. As a member of the House Small Business Committee, I’m committed to restoring optimism and advancing solutions to make it easier for owners to invest, hire, and watch their enterprises grow.”

BACKGROUND

Congressman Bean has introduced and supported the following pieces of legislation on behalf of the Fourth District’s small businesses and retail sector:

• Passed H.R. 4666, We Want Our Money Back Act: Requires the Inspector General of the SBA to report to Congress with quarterly updates on the ongoing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) fraud investigations.
   
• Introduced H.R. 9033, the Let American Businesses Be on Record (LABOR) Act: Requires the Department of Labor (DOL) to hold panels with small business owners, as part of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), which will be impacted during the rulemaking process so that changes can be made before the rule is finalized.
   
• Introduced H.R. 2744, the Freedom from Government Competition Act of 2023: Increases opportunities for private industries to provide goods and services without the threat of taxpayer-funded government competition. This bill puts American businesses first and saves taxpayer dollars from duplicative and wasteful spending.
   
• Introduced H.R.7984, the Rural Small Business Resilience Act: Would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to improve access to disaster assistance and relief programs for rural business owners to efficiently mitigate effects of natural disasters.
   
• Cosponsored H.R. 4721, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act: Permanently extends tax deductions for small and family-owned businesses, giving them greater flexibility to invest in new employers, expansion, or their communities.
   
• Cosponsored H.R. 895, the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act: Would deter future attacks on U.S. retailers by enhancing federal coordination, establishing an aligned multi-agency response, and creating new tools to tackle evolving trends in organized retail theft. 

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