This week, The National Retail Federations (NRF) named Congressman Henry Cuellar one of their “Heroes of Main Street.” As part of the National Retail Federation’s annual Retail Advocates Summit fly-in, the National Retail Federation recognized a bipartisan group of 289 members of Congress for their support of retail industry priorities such as international trade, patent reform, health care, tax reform and workforce policies that work for employees and employers alike.

“Thank you National Retail Federation, for acknowledging the work I have done. In my district there are so many hard working employers and employees in the retail industry, from cities like San Antonio, Laredo, and Mission to rural communities like Floresville, Pleasanton, and Rio Grande City. When provided an opportunity to support legislation that would benefit workers and the businesses that employ them, I’m going to do it! I strive to improve conditions for workers and spur jobs creation in my district,” said Congressman Cuellar.

“NRF’s Heroes of Main Street have shown through their voting records that they care about retailers, big and small, and value the role these businesses play in communities around the country,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “By backing our policy priorities, they show their commitment to a prosperous Main Street and to the long-term growth of retail - our nation’s largest private-sector employer.”

NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.