John Kerry: “women business owners do not get the recognition they deserve for their contribution to our economy: 18 million…”

“women business owners do not get the recognition they deserve for their contribution to our economy: 18 million Americans would be without jobs today if it weren't for these entrepreneurs who had the courage and the vision to strike out on their own. For 18 years, as a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I have worked to increase the opportunities for these enterprising women in a variety of ways, leading to greater earning power, financial independence and asset accumulation. These are more than words. For these women, it means having a bank account, buying a home, sending their children to college, calling the shots. As the ranking member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I rise today to say a few words about a bill that my colleague on the committee, our chair, Senator Snowe, intends to introduce today, the Women's Small Business Programs Improvement Act. First, however, I commend Senator Snowe for taking this first step in crafting legislation that addresses many of the problems faced by women entrepreneurs in receiving assistance through the SBA's programs designed to assist them.”