Eva M. Clayton: “small businesses have been at the very core of our commercial activities since our Nation's beginnings. In the last…”

“small businesses have been at the very core of our commercial activities since our Nation's beginnings. In the last decade large numbers of women had the opportunity to become small business owners. However, as of about 1996, women owned a little less than 40 percent of all businesses. In my own state of North Carolina, women own only 34 percent of the state's firms. The wonderful news is that, during this period, the number of North Carolina's women-owned businesses grew by 94 percent, employment grew by 140 percent, and sales rose 200 percent. As a Congress, we must do all that we can to help women continue to cultivate these opportunities. The National Women's Business Council (NWBC) is an organization vital to this goal. I urge my colleagues in the House to support the Millender-McDonald/ Bartlett/Forbes Amendment of the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Bill to fully fund the Council for the $600,000 authorized by the Congress and targeted for appropriations by the Senate. We encourage small business development through our commitment and investment. I believe strongly that we must continue to enable our communities' business people. That is why, today, I support the Millender-McDonald amendment on behalf of the National Women's Business Council and on behalf of current and prospective women business owners across the United States and in my own state of North Carolina.”