Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague, Congressman Jeffries. I rise this evening to discuss a very important topic to me, a topic that is important to me, to my district and to this Nation: why entrepreneurship matters to Black America. This week, we celebrate National Small Business Week, which gives us a chance to collectively recognize small businesses and the impact they have and have had on our local communities and the Nation. Tonight you will hear a lot about African Americans who started from humble means; African Americans who had great ideas and decided that they wanted to open a beauty shop, a barbershop, maybe a bakery or like my husband's family, a family restaurant. We'll hear the stories about how they became millionaires and billionaires. We've heard about Madam C.J. Walker who started with a small idea and became the first African American female millionaire. Then we all know about the young lady in the State next to mine that grew up and wanted to be a radio announcer, and probably 50 some years ago she had no idea that she'd be one of America's billionaires. And that's Oprah Winfrey. So today is so important to us not only as members of the Congressional Black Caucus, but it's important to us as a Nation that we recognize those who spur the economy. So often we think that it is large industrial operations that make up the businesses in this wonderful country. But if you thought about where half of this Nation works, they work in small businesses, they own small businesses.…”