On the recordJanuary 28, 2019
Mr. President, I rise today to discuss legislation that Senator Cardin and I introduced last year and successfully worked to move through the legislative process, with lots of help from many others. The Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act was passed by the House and Senate near the end of the 115th Congress and was signed into law in January of this year. We are thankful that our colleagues in both Chambers joined us in supporting this meaningful legislation focused on improving the lives of women and families around the world. Because women make up the majority of the world's poor and are often held back by gender-specific constraints to economic empowerment, such as lack of access to financial services and credit, it was important to recognize that it is within our power to help elevate and enable them to achieve their economic dreams and aspirations. In many corners of the world, cultural and historical barriers that make it difficult for women to start businesses, build savings, and make meaningful economic contributions to their communities are long established and serve to prevent many women from attaining greater stability in their everyday lives--to the detriment of their own societies as well as the global economy.…





