When it comes to the economy, small businesses play an important part.

That was the message from U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) when he spoke to more than 100 members of the Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.

“Small business is where it’s at,” Kilmer said. “My background is in small business and it was there that people kept asking, ‘Why isn’t government working for us?’” he said. “So I decided to get into politics and find out why.”

He said whenever he speaks to people in his district, they ask about the economy and what’s around the corner for small business owners.

“I tell them small businesses are the star running backs, like Marshawn Lynch,” he said. “Big business can be the quarterback and throw the ball. But without small business the plays are never made. That’s why we should have been the one they handed the ball off to in that last play of the Superbowl,” he added, referring to the Seattle Seahawks Superbowl loss last February.

“I’m still not over it,” he quipped.

Kilmer spoke for about 15 minutes and then took questions from the audience. He said he was making the rounds of his district — the sixth Congressional District which includes all of Kitsap County — this week listening to his constituents concerns.

“I was on the Bainbridge ferry this morning and everyone wanted to talk transportation,” Kilmer said. “They want to know if anything’s going to happened with funding improvements.”

Kilmer said the federal government has to be a partner with state and local governments to provide transportation improvements.

“There’s something called the Highway Trust Fund, and rather than pass a budget that funds it, Congress has made 34 short-term patches to it,” he said. “That’s just plain dumb. Congress needs to come together and act like adults and do something.”

It’s of special concern to him because, at the last Base Alignment and Closure (BRAC) hearings, the Navy base in Bremerton “got dinged” for having poor access into the base.

Kilmer also addressed students loans and said he is working to get the freeze on Pell Grants lifted.

“Right now Pell Grants are frozen for the next 10 years,” he said. “I went to school using Pell Grants and I know their importance in higher education. Not having them available is going the opposite direction than we should be.”

Funded education, especially higher education, is something that he’s working for.

“When access to education goes up, so does employment,” he said. “As people obtain education, their wages also increase.”

Student debt in the U.S. has surpassed credit card debt, he said, and he is sponsoring a bill that would allow students to refinance their school loan debt. He’s also working to restore Pell Grants and to allow students to borrow money for school from the government at the same interest rate that Wall Street does.

“Seventeen percent of our state’s population are high school dropouts,” Kilmer said. “And 55 percent of those in prison in Washington are dropouts. It’s more important to make an investment on the front end in education than pay for the costs of prisons.”

Kilmer was asked his position on the Iran nuclear deal offered by the Obama Administration. He said he’s still in the studying stages.

“Congress has 60 days to review it,” he said. “That’s what I’m doing. I have appointments to speak to policy experts from around the country.”

There are some positives and some negatives about the deal as it is written, he said. Time is of the essence because Iran is about two months away from being able to develop a nuclear weapon, so the deal gives a sense of confidence to the U.S. But the deal also gives Iran $50 billion cash.

“That’s a lot of money for a country that sponsors terrorists,” he said. “The real concern I have is that nobody seems to have a Plan B. That’s what I’ll be asking the experts.”

As to whether Congress will “get its act together,” Kilmer reminded chamber members that the “silly season” has begun.

“It’s (election season) started earlier than usual,” he said. “It always impacts what gets done. But my advice to you is don’t get too down hearted by that. Just remember I work for you and I want to hear from you.”