Political Quotes

“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.…”