From Intern to Counsel

Maddie Rusenko has stepped into her position as Counsel on the House Small Business Committee, beginning her tenure on January 1, 2026. Working under the chairmanship of Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX-25), Rusenko joins the committee staff at a time of heightened focus on entrepreneurship, small business challenges, and economic policy across the 119th Congress. Her role as House Small Business Committee counsel places her at the center of legislative efforts affecting America's small business ecosystem, from tax policy to regulatory challenges facing Main Street entrepreneurs.

Before taking on her current position as House Small Business Committee counsel, Rusenko interned at the House Natural Resources Committee from May 1, 2018 to August 1, 2018, gaining early exposure to congressional operations. She also interned at the House Financial Services Committee twice, first from May 1, 2023 to July 1, 2023, and again from May 1, 2024 to August 1, 2024. Rusenko earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa).

The Committee She Counsels

The House Small Business Committee, chaired by Rep. Williams, has maintained an active legislative agenda throughout the 119th Congress. The committee held 49 total hearings, reflecting the breadth of issues affecting small business owners and entrepreneurs across the country. In March, the committee held hearings examining the Small Business Administration's Office of Field Operations and addressing threats to small businesses from the Chinese Communist Party. April brought hearings on tax policy and the gig economy, with the April 15, 2026 hearing on "Lower Taxes, Stronger Main Street: The Benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts" featuring witnesses from the Tax Foundation, Wyoming Machine Inc., Renfro Foods Inc., and the Center for American Progress. May and June saw continued activity, with hearings on housing policy and national security.

Rep. Roger Williams serves as Chairman on the House Committee on Small Business and serves on the House Committee on Financial Services.

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