Grace Meng: “My amendment would direct the U.S. Export Finance Agency to develop and place minorities and women in paid internships.…”

“My amendment would direct the U.S. Export Finance Agency to develop and place minorities and women in paid internships. While the agency has done important work to expand market opportunities for American businesses around the globe, diversity in the workforce is equally as important. In today's economy, internships often act as the gateway to a professional career for a recent graduate. These experiences allow people to make connections and gain valuable experiences that prepare them for a full-time job. Unpaid internships can be a barrier to entering a desired career field. While some young people can take an unpaid internship, many people lack the resources to do that. This barrier has a disproportionate impact on minorities, low-income individuals, and women. When we do not have adequate diversity in internships and low-level positions, the pool of diverse individuals who can grow to serve in leadership positions in our businesses is severely stunted. That is why I introduced this amendment, to highlight the importance of paid internships. All entities should focus their efforts on compensating interns for the valuable work they contribute to their workplaces. Mr. Chair, I urge support for the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”