Political Quotes

“I rise to introduce the ``Women's Small Business Programs Improvement Act of 2003'' in recognition of the critical potential that women entrepreneurs hold for the Nation's economic welfare. I am pleased to be joined by Senators Bond and Burns in offering this important legislation. Today, women own nearly a third of the Nation's small businesses-- totaling nearly 7 million women-owned enterprises that contribute approximately $1.2 trillion to be economy annually. That number, however, does not include jointly owned businesses in which women play a major role but hold less than fifty percent of the ownership rights. So, the actual number of women with significant roles in business goes well beyond 7 million--and they are growing rapidly. These figures reflect the successes that women entrepreneurs are having despite facing the same challenges for the past twenty years-- access to business assistance, access to capital, and access to Federal Government contract opportunities. The ``glass ceiling'' in corporate America that led many women to start a small business has been transformed into a another obstacle--``a glass doorway''--between women who want to start and grow businesses and the lending and Federal contract markets these women entrepreneurs seek to enter.”