[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 132 (Wednesday, September 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S11909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)

             THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES

 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I speak today to congratulate the 17 
recipients of the Small Business Administration's Outstanding Women 
Entrepreneur Award.
  These inventive and resourceful entrepreneurs are leaders in a 
national community of women's businesses, which continue to outpace all 
other companies in overall growth--in number of firms, employment and 
sales. Women-owned firms are constantly breaking down the barriers of 
our past and proving that the business world is no longer a boys-only 
club. As many in the small business community are aware, women-owned 
companies have become increasingly important to our Nation's jobs and 
economy. Today there are over 10.1 million women-owned firms, employing 
18.2 million workers, and generating $2.32 trillion in sales.
  With assistance from the SBA, these 17 women honored during last 
week's Small Business Week have created businesses that serve as 
remarkable examples of successful entrepreneurship in a variety of 
industries.
  Patricia Miller, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Rebecca Matthais, and Dr. 
Taryn Rose all started their own businesses in the fashion industry, 
relying on the SBA for loans and counseling. Patricia and Barbara 
created Vera Bradley Designs, a company that produces a popular line of 
luggage and handbags. Rebecca's company, Mothers Work, is now one of 
the leading providers of maternity clothes of women across the country. 
Taryn combined her medical knowledge as an orthopedic surgeon with her 
love of fashion to create a footwear company that is projecting to 
reach over $20 million in sales this year.
  The SBA has also helped several of these women break into male-
dominated industries, like construction and defense. Donna Brinkmeyer-
Asman of Clark Manufacturing, Lurita Doan of New Technology Management, 
and Carolyn Minerich of Carmin Industries have all created companies 
that have grown to include major defense-industry clients. Tina Cordova 
looked to the SBA's Small Business Development Center and SCORE 
programs to help her company, Queston Construction, expand from 2 to 26 
employees.
  Kathryn Freeland, Marilyn Melkonian, Patty DeDominici, Nikki Olyai, 
Jeannette Lee White, and Julie Morgenstern all looked to the SBA to 
help them create their businesses. Now they are advising much larger 
businesses on potential employees, technology, and management issues.
  These women and their employees are not only beneficiaries of their 
companies' successes. In addition to starting and growing successful 
businesses, these women have made significant contributions to their 
communities. Blue Crab Bay, started by award recipient Pamela Barefoot, 
creates specialty food items for seafood lovers and uses its profits to 
give back to the Chesapeake Bay community. The company has given back 
to its community through scholarships, charity events, and donations to 
groups like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
  I would also like to recognize the accomplishments of awardees 
Heather Howitt, Judy George, and Maria Welch. Heather, along with 
cofounders Tedde McMillen, Carla Powell, and Lori Woolfrey, recognized 
a potential market for their traditional Chai drink, and now their 
company, Oregon Chai, sells its chai tea lattes at stores in all 50 
States. Maria's company, Respira Medical, is a leading respiratory and 
durable home medical care equipment distributor in Maryland. Judy's 
Domain home furnishings company was recently featured on the popular 
television makeover program ``Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.''
  I commend these 17 women for their creativity in business, their 
leadership for women entrepreneurs, and their generous contributions to 
their local communities. As the number of women business owners 
continues to grow--currently the number of women-owned businesses is 
growing at double the rate of all U.S. firms--we must do everything we 
can to ensure that these businesses have every opportunity to flourish. 
To that end, we are working to pass the Small Business Administration 
50th Anniversary Reauthorization Act of 2003, legislation that will 
protect the extremely effective and well-established Women's Business 
Center network. With this bill we will also reestablish the Interagency 
Committee on Women's Business Enterprise to give women in business a 
greater voice in Federal policymaking. The 2003 SBA reauthorization 
legislation also closes the loopholes in Federal procurement practice 
that have allowed agencies to bundle contracts and limit Federal 
contracting opportunities for small and women-owned businesses. In 
addition, this bill will strengthen all of the SBA's access to capital, 
entrepreneurial development, and contracting programs, including those 
that helped bring success to the 17 recipients of the Outstanding Women 
Entrepreneur Award.
  I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join me and Senator Snowe in 
recognizing the important contribution these women, and other women in 
business across America, make to our Nation's economy by passing the 
SBA Reauthorization Act of 2003 and fully funding the SBA's 
programs.

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