Velázquez, Nydia M.

Nydia Velázquez represents New York's 7th Congressional District and serves as Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, the top Democratic position on a panel that oversees federal small business programs and contracts totaling $200 billion annually. As ranking member, she leads the committee's Democratic opposition, shaping oversight priorities and legislative strategy on small business issues. Velázquez brings decades of experience in economic development and advocacy for working-class communities. Born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, in 1953, she earned a master's degree in political science from New York University and taught Puerto Rican studies at Hunter College before entering electoral politics. She served on the New York City Council and as director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs before her election to Congress in 1992, making her the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the House. Throughout her tenure, Velázquez has championed small business access to capital, federal contracting opportunities, and protections against predatory lending. She previously chaired the Small Business Committee from 2007 to 2019, becoming the first Latina to chair a full House committee. In recent years, she has focused on protecting immigrant entrepreneurs from discriminatory SBA policies and advocating for small business borrower protections. Velázquez announced in November 2025 that she would not seek reelection in 2026, concluding a career defined by her advocacy for economic opportunity and civil rights for underrepresented communities.