Political Quotes

“I rise to ask unanimous consent that the following materials in support of section 40209 of the bipartisan infrastructure framework, the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program, be entered into the Record. These sources, which include congressional testimony, disparity studies, and other evidence, shed further light on the longstanding barriers and disparities faced by minority-owned small business entities in the manufacturing sector that have lingering effects today. According to one study, while minority-owned businesses play a significant role in U.S. industry, they are underrepresented in the U.S. manufacturing industry and represent only 12.8 percent of all manufacturing firms. And in testimony from a July 9, 2020, hearing before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, multiple witnesses spoke to the ongoing barriers that minority-owned businesses face in accessing capital during the pandemic. These sources further highlight the importance of and need for the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Congressional Hearing, Access Denied: Challenges for Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses and Accessing Capital and Financial Services During the Pandemic (July 2020) (testimony focused on pandemic capital access issues).…”