**DOWNLOADABLE PHOTOS: Spanberger Visits Three Veteran-Owned, Black-Owned, & Family-Owned Small Businesses in Woodbridge**

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger yesterday toured Veteran-owned, Black-owned, and family-owned small businesses in Prince William County to hear directly from local business owners about how she can best support Virginia’s entrepreneurs through her work in Congress.

During the three-stop Small Business Tour, Spanberger met with small business owners and their teams in Woodbridge to hear more about the area’s economic opportunities and challenges, the priorities of local business owners, and opportunities for federal support. Throughout the tour, she was joined by representatives from the Prince William Chamber of Commerce.

“Virginia’s small businesses and entrepreneurs are the cornerstone of our communities,” said Spanberger. “I’m grateful to all of the small business owners who opened their doors and all of the Virginians who took the time to speak with me. Every one of Virginia’s many local businesses has unique needs — and every business owner and employee has unique stories to share. Hearing their experiences and priorities firsthand helps me keep our community members informed of existing assistance to help meet their specific needs and find new opportunities for the federal government to support America’s economic engines.”

Spanberger first visited Zeiders Enterprises, a Veteran-owned government contractor that works to support military and Veteran communities. Zeiders is consistently recognized for being a Military Friendly Employer — with 25 percent and 40 percent of their employees being Veterans and military spouses, respectively.

Spanberger then visited Veterans Growing America, a local Black Veteran-owned business which helps Veterans and military spouses showcase and grow their businesses. VGA hosts regional events and implements marketing campaigns to support military-affiliated entrepreneurs and encourage Americans to shop at Veteran-owned businesses.

Spanberger’s last stop was to Whitlock Wealth Management. This family-owned financial advisory firm helps Virginians prioritize their finances and meet their financial goals.

BACKGROUND

In Congress, Spanberger has prioritized building coalitions with her colleagues across the aisle and advancing legislation on behalf of the people and small businesses of Virginia’s Seventh District. In June 2021, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce awarded Spanberger with the “Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award” and the “Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship” for her work across party lines on issues that are important to small businesses and their employees. She was the only Member of Virginia’s congressional delegation to receive either award.

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