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Molly Moon’s CEO urges Congress to invest in childcare, warns tariffs and immigration actions threaten small businesses
Summary
Molly Moon Neitzel, founder and CEO of Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, told the House Small Business panel that employer‑funded childcare stabilized her workforce and that proposed tariffs and mass immigration enforcement would raise costs and harm supply chains and labor availability for small businesses.
Molly Moon Neitzel, founder and CEO of Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, told the House Committee on Small Business that on‑the‑ground workforce policies—not only tax and regulatory changes—shape small businesses’ ability to hire, retain and promote employees.
"At Molly Moon's, we invest $1,000 per month toward childcare for each employee's child, and the returns have been tremendous," Neitzel said, describing higher full‑time work and promotion rates among staff after her company began subsidizing childcare.
Neitzel warned that an escalating tariff regime and threats of mass immigration enforcement would increase costs for small retailers and restaurants and reduce available workers. When asked about tariffs proposed earlier in the week, Neitzel said, "If these tariffs go through, I will have to raise my prices." She described dependence on imported sugar, coffee, chocolate and paper products and on regional dairy suppliers who trade cross‑border with Canada.
Committee members raised concerns about potential mass ICE enforcement and its effect on labor. Representative Velasquez said during questioning that "losing farmers who have work permits in The United States will devastate the food system in America," a point Neitzel echoed in describing how fear of raids reduces workforce participation.
Neitzel urged Congress to use tax enforcement revenue to fund national childcare, paid family leave and healthcare investment, and suggested targeting tax relief (Section 199A) to smaller operators to address inequality created by prior tax changes. She described one concrete impact: building three new Molly Moon locations with partial SBA loan support.
Members from both parties questioned her about short‑term disruptions from recent actions at the border and tariff announcements; Neitzel said the 30‑day pause on potential tariff implementation provided limited planning time and that uncertainty alone was already forcing her leadership team to model significant cost scenarios to determine whether price increases would be necessary.
Her testimony highlighted how workforce supports such as childcare interact with trade and immigration policy to affect hiring, operations and small businesses’ place in local economies.
