Advocacy

Current Advocacy Initiatives

MSCC is the voice for military spouse owned businesses all over the globe, check out our current initiatives.

Over 50 Military Spouse's joined together on the steps of the Capitol Hill building to advocate for spouse benefits

It’s Time to Amplify the Voice of Military Spouse Business

Lend Your Influence

We are working on a lot of initiatives ourselves, and in collaboration with a number of organizations. To make positive impacts we believe in “the more the merrier” ideology. There is room at the table for your voice.

Submit Your Ideas

We fly very close to the sun here, sometimes there are issues lurking right under our noses that we may not have thought of. Please email hello@milspousechamber.org to submit your ideas for initiatives we can help you advocate for.

Thank You

– Reserve Organization of America

– ELPR
– Team b. Strategy

Photo Credit: Jabin Botsford

Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce Takes Advocacy to Capitol Hill

In May 2026, nearly 100 military spouses from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. for a powerful day of advocacy on Capitol Hill — united behind one mission: advancing economic opportunity for military spouse entrepreneurs.

Led in partnership with advocates, business owners, and supporters nationwide, the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) helped amplify support for the Military Spouse Small Business Recognition Act and broader efforts to recognize military spouse-owned businesses within the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program as a disadvantaged business category.

The message delivered to lawmakers was clear: military spouses are not asking for special treatment — they are asking for recognition of the unique barriers created through military service and the opportunity to compete on a more level playing field.

Looking Ahead

The conversations on Capitol Hill are only the beginning.

MSCC will continue working alongside lawmakers, partners, and the military-connected business community to advance policies that support entrepreneurship, expand access to opportunity, and ensure military spouse-owned businesses are seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

To learn more about the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce and its advocacy initiatives, visit the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce’s Blog Page.

Military Spouse Small Business Recognition Act

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Military Spouse Small Business Recognition Act

The Military Spouse Small Business Recognition Act aims to level the playing field for military spouse-owned businesses by modifying existing Small Business Administration (SBA) tools to address structural barriers.

Key Legislative Goals:

  • Amend SBA regulations to categorize military spouse-owned businesses as a Disadvantaged Category. This designation would increase federal contracting eligibility and allow access to other SBA 8(a) Business Development program training and support.
  • Reduce borrowing costs by eliminating SBA guarantee fees on loans up to $1 million for veteran and military spouse-owned businesses and reducing equity requirements by lowering the minimum down payment for startup and ownership-change loans by at least 5%.
  • Direct the SBA to collect and publish participation data regarding military spouses in federal loan programs.
The Case for Action: 
 
Military spouses face unique challenges, including frequent permanent changes of station (PCS) every 2–3 years, licensing hurdles, and credit gaps that follow them across state lines. These barriers contribute to a 22% unemployment rate—the highest of any group—and result in significant taxpayer costs, up to $1.2 billion annually.

Furthermore, 58% of military spouses report working below their education or experience level, and nearly half are either 'self-employed' or interested in starting a business.

Supporting the Military Spouse Small Business Recognition Act is a fiscally responsible, targeted measure to improve military spousal career satisfaction and financial stability - two critical factors affecting military retention. 

 
For further inquiries, contact the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce at (855)-855-8511 or hello@milspousechamber.org.

The Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce introduced this bill in conjunction with the Reserve Organization of America.

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HR 4991

Our COO Jaime Chapman is working to include military spouses as a beneficiary of G.I. Bill benefits, unused by the service member, to financially support entrepreneurship ventures. In H.R.4991 the Post-9/11 Veteran Business Acceleration Act, allows service members to elect fincial assistance to establish a business in lieu of educational assitance through the pilot program.
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Uniformed Service Members Absentee Ballot Act

This effort to amend a proposed bill is spearheaded by our friends at MSJDN. The original bill aims to ease the voting process for military service members by way of submitting absentee ballots electronically. However, this bill is not inclusive of military family members. MSCC signed on to support MSJDN’s letter to include military family members.
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HR 6347 - Military Spouse Entrepreneurs Act

The bill HR 6347 (if passed) would create a pilot procurement program to recognize military spouse owned businesses with advantage in federal government contracting. MSCC has advised, endorsed, and advocated for this bill from soup to nuts and are hoping for a positive outcome!
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Military Spouse Entrepreneur Reimbursement Act

The Military Spouse Entrepreneur Reimbursement Act (if passed) will provide reimbursements for qualified costs directly related to PCS orders including: business licenses or permits, moving services for equipment, equipment removal, new equipment purchases, information technology expenses, and inspection fees. MSCC advised/endorsed, and is hoping for a place in the next NDAA!

2021 Year of the Military Spouse Entrepreneur

The 2021 Year of the Military Spouse Entrepreneur is a social awareness campaign designed to drive awareness and support to military spouse owned business. We are advocating at the highest levels to have “Military Spouse Owned” become a recognized category both in the private sector Billion Dollar Roundtable and public sector for government contracting.

Cal. AB 1179

Employer Provided Backup Childcare Benefits (Carillo). California employers with over 1,000 employees would be required to offer 60 hours of paid backup childcare benefits to employees. This benefit would resolve a major childcare issue, increases employee retention (especially of women), and only costs the employer ~$50 per employee.

Military Spouse Co-Working Spaces

Our team members Stephanie Brown and Jaime Chapman have been working on an initiative with the Army’s Soldier for Life program to establish co-working spaces on Army installations across the nation. We’re looking at you Navy.

AAFES

Our CEO Stephanie Brown has been working on an initative to get military spouse owned products into AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service). Through The Rosie Network, Stephanie has been working to bring qualified veteran and military spouse-owned products into the AAFES supplier diversity chain and the AAFES National Diversity Veteran Small Business (NDVSB) eMarketplace.

Military Spouse Entrepreneur Task Force

Maria McConville, wife of the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, created MSETF to tackle the Home Based Business registration process, and SOFA barriers for overseas military spouse entrepreneurs. Thanks to MSETF, our founding team met and decided to create the Military Spouse Chamber.

Why Advocate for Military Spouses?

The Needle Hasn’t Moved

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Unemployment remained statistically unchanged from 2012-2019 at a rate of 22-24% before the pandemic with estimates as high as 38% during Covid-19.

Not a Small Niche, but a Mighty Force!

There are roughly 12 million military spouses…

Spouses of Current Service Members

Spouses of Veterans in the U.S.

Milspouses who are are Unemployed

Military Spouse Owned Businesses

Breaking Down the Numbers

12.2 Million – Military Spouses in total, defined as the spouse of a veteran or currently serving member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

18.8 Million – Veterans. Nearly 60% are married equating to approximately 11.2 million veteran spouses.

Nearly 1 Million – Spouses of currently serving Active Duty, Guard and Reserve service members.

22 – 24% – Military Spouse unemployment rate — This crisis-level percentage was PRE-pandemic! Estimates for post-pandemic are as high as 35%, but we do not have clear data after the onset of COVID-19.

Currently employed military spouses are related to an increase spousal support to stay in the military.

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