Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) re-introduced the Main Street Growth Act, which would create jobs, improve capital formation, and encourage more early-stage Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).

“It is critical that our capital market structure meets the needs of American companies, regardless of size or type. This legislation will make it easier for thousands of small and emerging growth companies – including over 100 in Minnesota - to go public, generating millions of jobs and trillions of dollars in revenue for the economy. I look forward to both sides of the aisle coming together to ensure that American entrepreneurs and workers can continue to succeed,” added Emmer. 

Although our capital markets saw a historic rise in IPOs in 2020, participation in the IPO process overall has slowed dramatically over the last 20 years. The number of IPOs declined more than 63% from the 1990s to the 2000s and has stayed relatively flat through the 2010s. In addition, the number of small IPOs (under $100 million) has declined significantly.

The Main Street Growth Act will allow the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to provide for the creation of venture exchanges. These specialized securities exchanges will help small and emerging growth companies gain access to the capital they need to grow and succeed. The bill improves access to capital for emerging growth companies, which can help the economy rebound during this time, and bring many Americans back into the workforce.

This legislation was unanimously approved by the House Financial Services Committee and passed out of the House of Representatives during the 115th Congress. You can read the full text of the Main Street Growth Act here.

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