(FORTUNE Small Business) – Olympia Snowe doesn't have a reputation as a team player these days. The Republican Senator from Maine almost single-handedly forced President Bush to cut the size of his tax-relief plan. But when it comes to small business, she's a more welcoming presence. In the following edited excerpts from an e-mail interview, the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship says she'll stop at nothing to protect entrepreneurs' interests. Will one of W.'s chief antagonists have much sway? That remains to be seen.

What are your top priorities?

My priorities will include assuring access to affordable health insurance for small businesses and their employees, providing regulatory and tax relief for small businesses, helping small businesses enter foreign markets, encouraging further growth and entrepreneurship in woman-owned small businesses, improving access to capital for small businesses, and assuring improved availability of worker education and training. The committee soon will begin work on a major reauthorization of the small business assistance programs administered by the Small Business Administration. As part of the process, we will carefully review a range of programs from the 7(a) Guaranteed Loan Program to the Small Business Innovation Research Program.

Should the federal government give more of its contracts to small businesses?

In 2001 small businesses received less than the congressionally established goal of up to 23% of government contracts. Although in the past Congress and the administration have focused on concrete measures and legislation to increase access to federal procurement opportunities, we have seen a disturbing trend in the opposite direction.

Why is that?

Part of this problem stems from contract bundling [the lumping together of two or more federal contracts in ways that often overwhelm small businesses]. According to the SBA's Office of Advocacy, for every 100 bundled contracts awarded, small businesses lose an average of 60 contracts. The committee is working with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to evaluate proposals to combat bundling.

How will you address the health-care crisis faced by entrepreneurs?

With a shocking 56% of the 41.2 million uninsured persons in this country already either working a full-time job or depending on someone who does, we have an obligation to ensure that more of these individuals can receive insurance through their employers. There is no single answer to the multifaceted problem of the uninsured. But allowing national Association Health Plans [in which small businesses receive better rates by pooling across state lines] would be a step in the right direction.