Alex Padilla: “I rise to speak in support of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act and the…”

“I rise to speak in support of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act and the Accelerating Small Business Growth Act, which I introduced today. The unprecedented investment in American infrastructure over the next decade provides a major opportunity to strengthen our most underserved businesses and communities. Providing resources to help develop women- owned, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses will uplift our entire economy, and it is how we truly build back better. Last year, President Biden set a goal of increasing the share of Federal contracts going to small, disadvantaged businesses by 50 percent by 2025, which would translate to an additional $100 billion for these businesses. To help accomplish this ambitious goal, we should empower Federal, State, and local agencies to deliver resources to underserved businesses to help them become self-sufficient and grow. Established in 1970, the Federal Highway Administration's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Program already provides training, assistance, and services to minority- and women- owned businesses to help them develop into self-sufficient organizations that viably compete for federally assisted highway project contracts. Unfortunately, Congress has not allowed this program to keep up with the needs of our underserved businesses.…”