Case Receives National Award For Championing Local Franchise Businesses Across The Country

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1) was among several members of Congress recently honored as “Franchise Champions” by the International Franchise Association (IFA). According to the IFA, there are more than 2,800 franchise locations in Hawai‘i, with close to 30,000 employees. These largely local small businesses franchise under well-known brands like L&L Drive-Inn, McDonald’s, Subway, 7-Eleven, Ace Hardware and SERVPRO, and now generate more than $3 billion in annual revenues. "These lawmakers have shown they will stand up for Main Street, and we are proud to honor them with the Franchise Champion Award," said Michael Layman, IFA chief advocacy officer. "Franchise small businesses across America power jobs and serve their communities, and they depend on lawmakers for a regulatory climate that will allow the franchise business model to grow now and into the future." Case said: “As someone who worked over three decades in Hawai‘i businesses, I fully understand what it takes to create, own, grow and work in a business, especially small businesses which are the backbone of our local economy. Extra effort and different business models are required to address various challenges including taxes, regulations and high costs. Franchising offers a great and proven model avenue for many of our own to succeed in business, generating local jobs and contributing to our economy.” The IFA is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 832,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.8 million direct jobs, $907.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Case has also championed the broader interests of our country’s small businesses throughout his almost-twelve years in Congress. In 2023 he was honored with a Special Congressional Award by the Small Business Council of America (SBCA), a national, non-profit organization representing some 100,000 privately held and family-owned small businesses. The SBCA award recognized Case’s support of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), of funding for services managed by the SBA, and of various federal loan programs to help small businesses. The SBCA had previously given him the same award in 2006 during his earlier Congressional service when he served on the House Committee on Small Business. Case has also worked to advance national and Hawai‘i small businesses through his House Appropriations Committee, on which he is now serving his eighth year. As a current example, for current Fiscal Year 2027 his Committee included his requests for key programs that directly benefit Hawaii’s small businesses including: ·         $828 million for the SBA; ·         $140 million for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) which supports six SBDCs in Hawai‘i; ·         $32 million for the Microloan Technical Assistance Program; and ·         $27 million for the Women’s Business Centers Program, which supports the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership. Attachment: picture of award ###