Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, the SBA's Women's Business Centers provide valuable education, training, consulting and access to capital services to women entrepreneurs. There are 93 Women's Business Centers in 46 States serving tens of thousands of entrepreneurs each year. A large percentage of Women's Business Centers clients are women from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds who would be unable to start their own businesses without the assistance of a women's business center. These centers strengthen our economy by creating businesses and jobs and by reaching out to new markets and new entrepreneurs. Last year, the House approved a bipartisan amendment that I offered to this bill, along with several other representatives, to increase funding for this program from $9 million to $13 million. Earlier this year, I sent the chairman a letter signed by six of our colleagues requesting the fully authorized $13.7 million for the SBA's Women's Business Centers program. In large part, the gentleman has been responsive to our request by level-funding the Women's Business Centers program at $12 million.”