Williams, Roger: Okay, before we begin with the hearing, I have a few announcements I'd like to make. First, I'd like to welcome, and he is in a meeting right now, Representative Clay Fuller from the great state of Georgia to our committee. He previously served as District Attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit and was appointed by President Trump to serve as a White House Fellow from 2018 to 2019. I'm excited to hear the insight and perspective he'll contribute to this committee on behalf of his constituents and Main Street and the 14th Congressional District of the great state of Georgia. Next, for all of our members, there will be two committee roundtables in May, for your information. The first is on May 4th in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. Representative Van Dyne and I are excited to host all of you in the great state of Texas for that. And the second roundtable is on May 22nd in Baltimore, Maryland, home of the big O, as they say, Representative Oshelsky. And you want a 30-second advertisement on that and ask everybody to come
Olszewski, Johnny: Thank you Mr Chairman Please everyone come We'll try to replicate the amazing Fort Worth experience in Baltimore We'd love to have you all
Williams, Roger: There you go Well we're looking forward to both those so contact your committee staff for logistics and more information about those roundtables as that date gets closer. I now call the Committee on Small Business to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time. I now recognize myself for my opening statement. Welcome to today's hearing, Independent Work, Real Opportunity, the Gig Economy, and the Future of Entrepreneurship. The gig economy is broadly defined as an economy in which people earn income by providing on-demand work, services, or goods. Regardless of what one's views on gig entrepreneurship, the truth is that it has become an increasingly large part of each of our everyday lives, especially for younger generations. Today, gig entrepreneurship takes as many forms as commonly facilitated through digital platforms like apps and websites. Of course, ride-sharing and delivery are major parts of the ecosystem, but there are so many other industries that are part of the gig economy. Some gig platforms are tailored towards housework, handyman projects, running errands, or cleaning. At the same time, other platforms cover the professional services such as IT, graphic design, and other freelance work. One reason people turn to the gig work is to gain flexibility and control in their work schedules. Whether they are a student, grandmother, or aspiring entrepreneur, they can mold their gig work schedule to match their availability. The gig economy supports American entrepreneurship by providing the flexibility and the income needed to launch small businesses. It also allows entrepreneurs to get started quickly by leveraging a built-in customer base to kick-start their businesses. The motivations that lead people to gig work, such as flexibility and self-ownership, also...