From the office of Congresswoman Claudia Tenney:

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney today was named by the House Republican Conference to the Small Business Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. Congresswoman Tenney will use her position on these important committees to fight for Upstate businesses, protect American workers, and counter China’s malign activities, including its theft of intellectual property and unfair trade policies.

“I am honored to have been named to the House Small Business Committee as well as the House Foreign Affairs Committee,” Congresswoman Tenney said. “Small businesses are the bedrock of our economy in the 22nd District. Local employers have been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I’m laser focused on making sure they get the relief they need to recover and come back stronger than ever. Congress needs to cut through the red tape and make sure programs to help business owners are easily accessible and administered with integrity.”

“Our Nation is safest when we lead through strength and with conviction,” Congresswoman Tenney also said. “On the Foreign Affairs Committee I will work tirelessly to promote principled American diplomacy that enhances our security and puts the interests of my constituents first. This includes holding China accountable for its malign activities and unfair trade policies, which have decimated U.S. industries and hurt workers in my district.”

“New York’s 22nd Congressional District is also home to a large and diverse refugee population, including individuals from Vietnam, Myanmar, and Bosnia, which was part of the former Yugoslavia,” Congresswoman Tenney concluded. “Many of the refugees in my district fled violence or persecution. I am proud to represent these communities and will stand with them on the Committee to advocate for democracy and respect for human rights around the world.”

Congresswoman Tenney is a longtime small business owner. She was most recently the co-owner and publisher of a community newspaper and a printing and packaging manufacturing firm started by her grandfather in 1946. She understands the struggles small businesses face, especially in a high-taxed state such as New York, and will continue to be a strong advocate for them.  

Congresswoman Tenney is the mother of an active-duty Marine officer and has been a leader on national security issues and defense policy throughout her public service career. She has traveled previously on key Congressional Delegations abroad to meet foreign leaders, advance America’s interests, and deepen relationships with many of our allies and partners. 

Conversant in Serbo-Croatian, Congresswoman Tenney worked at the former Yugoslav Consulate in New York and assisted with the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. She later published the first Bosnian language newspaper in her hometown. She remains active with the Bosnian refugee population in her district, which is one of the country’s largest.