Kennedy, Booker launch bipartisan Senate Creators Caucus

Watch the Senate Creators Caucus Launch here . WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) launched the bipartisan Senate Creators Caucus to support America’s creator economy and give creators a stronger voice in Congress. The Senate Creators Caucus will bring together lawmakers and digital creators to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing Americans who build businesses, educate audiences, entertain communities and make a living through online content creation. Many creators are also small business owners who hire employees, invest in their communities and support a wide network of businesses across the physical and digital economy. To mark the launch, Kennedy and Booker hosted a panel and reception featuring leading creators whose work spans tech, sports, politics, beauty, mental health and lifestyle content and collectively reaching tens of millions of viewers across the country. “ America’s content creators are entrepreneurs. They’re turning good ideas into careers, building businesses and reaching millions of people in ways that weren’t possible a generation ago. Creators and social media have tremendous influence over how Americans communicate and get information, and that influence comes with a responsibility to be honest and tell the truth. Senator Booker and I started this caucus to hear directly from creators, better understand this growing part of our economy and make sure they have a voice in Congress ,” said Kennedy. “ Content creators are more than our favorite teachers, cooks, music critics, and voices online. They are also entrepreneurs who create jobs, drive economic growth, and invest in their communities. Creators represent a growing sector of the economy, but Congress and our laws haven’t kept up. The bipartisan Senate Creators Caucus seeks to change that by educating lawmakers, advocating for policies that have creators in mind, and ensuring that creators are recognized as legitimate small businesses ,” said Booker. " YouTube creators are online storytellers, entrepreneurs, and employers in every state across the country. We're grateful to Senators Booker and Kennedy for launching the Senate Creators Caucus to ensure America’s digital creators have a strong voice in Washington ,” said Leslie Miller, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, YouTube. The panel was moderated by The Washington Post reporter and inaugural Creator Host Dylan Wells. Panelists included Avery Smith of Louisiana Crawfish Company ; Ian Schwartzman, CEO and co-host of the Joe Budden Network ; Jackie Aina, a beauty and lifestyle creator; Sage Steele, former SportsCenter co-anchor and host of The Sage Steele Show ; Matthew Patrick, creator advocate and co-founder of Theorist Media ; and Mark Vins, Emmy Award-winning wildlife filmmaker and co-founder of Brave Wilderness. The launch also brought together creators from a range of industries, including Javoris Hollingsworth of Gracie’s Corner ; mental health creators Dr. Tracey Marks and Kati Morton; Ericka “Boze” Bozeman of BOZEvstheWORLD ; lifestyle creator Destiny Adams; psychiatrist and creator Dr. Judith Joseph; tech creator Jacklyn Dallas of The Next Big Thing ; and digital culture creator Shira Lazar of What’s Trending . The creator economy has become a significant driver of economic growth, job creation and cultural influence across the United States. Millions of Americans use digital platforms to reach audiences, build businesses and turn their creativity into careers. Despite the growing influence of online creators, federal lawmakers do not always have a firsthand understanding of how digital platforms and creator-led businesses operate. This disconnect can lead to one-size-fits-all policies that fail to account for the unique needs of creators and the businesses that support them. The Senate Creators Caucus will provide a bipartisan forum for senators to hear directly from creators and better understand the issues affecting the creator economy.