[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 304 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 304

Expressing the sense of the Senate that entrepreneurship on the part of 
     minority women-owned businesses should be fully supported and 
                              encouraged.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 25, 2017

  Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Ms. Hirono) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that entrepreneurship on the part of 
     minority women-owned businesses should be fully supported and 
                              encouraged.

Whereas the number of women-owned small businesses increased by 3,500,000 from 
        2007 to 2016;
Whereas, for every 10 women-owned businesses launched since 2007, 8 were started 
        by women of color;
Whereas women are now majority owners of 38 percent of all businesses in the 
        United States;
Whereas there are currently almost 5,000,000 minority women-owned small 
        businesses;
Whereas minority women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the 
        United States;
Whereas African-American women own fully 49 percent of all African-American-
        owned businesses;
Whereas Latina-owned firms employ 550,400 workers;
Whereas there are currently 922,700 Asian-American women-owned small businesses;
Whereas Native American and Alaska Native women-owned small businesses generated 
        $10,500,000,000 in revenues; and
Whereas the number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women-owned small 
        businesses more than doubled between 2007 and 2016: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) October has been designated ``National Women's Small 
        Business Month'' by the Small Business Administration;
            (2) minority women often work in low-paying jobs in the 
        traditional workforce, which means the gender salary gap, child 
        care expenses, and a lack of paid family leave impact women of 
        color more severely than other populations, and expanding 
        access to opportunities for entrepreneurship can help women of 
        color get ahead economically, serve their communities, and care 
        for their families;
            (3) minority women entrepreneurs are paving the way for 
        women-owned businesses;
            (4) minority women entrepreneurs are an important segment 
        of the domestic economy of the United States as well as the 
        global economy; and
            (5) in order to sustain the economy of the United States, 
        Congress must fully support and encourage the growth of 
        minority women-owned businesses.
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