[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome the 
United States and the Congress to Women's History Month. As a member of 
the Women's Caucus, I stand to recognize the achievements and the 
remaining obstacles of women-owned businesses.
  I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the co-chairs of 
the Women's Caucus and the women-owned business legislative team, my 
colleagues, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Juanita Millender-
McDonald) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Sue Kelly), for 
organizing us to come to the floor today. They should be congratulated 
for their efforts on this issue, specifically for introducing 
legislation, House Resolution 313, which outlines the findings from 
last year's first-ever Women's Caucus hearing on women-owned 
businesses.
  This legislation expresses the sense of the House of Representatives 
that all Federal agencies would benefit from reviewing specified 
recommendations for the purpose of improving equitable access for 
women-owned businesses to the Federal procurement market.
  Women-owned businesses are important sources of economic development 
in my community in Miami, Florida, one of the poorest districts in the 
country. But low income does not mean low ambition, Mr. Speaker, nor 
does it mean low potential. Microcredit programs that lend small 
amounts to nontraditional borrowers have proven to be very promising 
tools for change, allowing women to build businesses, income and pride 
for themselves and their families.
  Small loans, yes; microcredit, yes; but it does bring respect and 
ownership to these women who otherwise could not find work. This in 
itself is another remedy for getting off welfare and moving into work.
  The microcredit concept has been notably developed by Working Capital 
Florida. That is the name of the group. It is a local nonprofit group 
in south Florida. This program serves approximately 350 businesses in 
Miami, Dade County. The loans average about $725, and they have to be 
paid back in less than a year. And guess what, Mr. Speaker? These loans 
have been coming back in and being paid and being rotated and other 
women are taking advantage of this money.
  Many of the borrowers of the money comprise single-family mothers 
with not a man in the House. These are minority mothers who have 
children they must care for, and certainly Working Capital Florida is 
helping them.
  Programs like Working Capital Florida provide women with the 
opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial talents. Working Capital 
Florida provides the loans necessary to launch businesses, and also 
provides education about business practices through workshops and 
training sessions, allowing women to further tune their skills for 
successful enterprises.
  In the wake of welfare reform, this is a particularly critical time 
for business enterprise, and specifically business enterprise for 
women. There are few jobs for female welfare recipients in inner-city 
areas. In Miami many women have taken the giant step of employing 
themselves to make ends meet for their families.
  In Liberty City, my own neighborhood in Miami, many women create 
their own private businesses. Many of them make dolls. They sell them. 
They make head scarves. They make ethnic clothing. They capitalize on 
their own personal talents in order to make ends meet. Innovative 
businesses run the gamut from day care and house cleaning to hair 
braiding and stick-on nail specialists.
  These women simply could not launch these businesses without the 
required financial backing to bring their initiatives to fruition. 
Programs like Working Capital Florida enable these women to devise 
their own business plans and get on their feet. These are small loans, 
Mr. Speaker, between $500 and $5,000, and they maintain the ability to 
produce significant life changes. They generate economic activity in 
our communities and a sense of self-pride.
  I believe that the community development opportunity that is provided 
through group lending programs is vitally important, especially during 
a time that long-time safety nets for the poor are unraveling. Further 
support from other private sources, commercial banks, and State and 
Federal governments, helps to further build programs like Working 
Capital Florida.
  Mr. Speaker, thousands of poor women are responsive, creative and 
hard-working. They have to spark. All they need is a little leadership 
to turn that spark into a flame. And that is what Working Capital 
Florida is doing and that is what many programs throughout this country 
are doing to help women get on their feet. They have the skills. They 
have the ability.

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