[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 126 (Thursday, July 16, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E640-E641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SUPPORTING THE DBE PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ANTHONY G. BROWN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 16, 2020

  Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I rise to say a few words in 
support of the DBE program. This program helps firms owned by women and 
minorities are included as partners in helping build and maintain our 
nation's transportation infrastructure. The chairman and many of my 
colleagues have presented the devastating statistics that demonstrate 
how far we must go before we abolish business discrimination based on 
race and gender. I would like to highlight some of the voices behind 
those statistics. In a recent study in my home state of Maryland, the 
authors conducted in depth interviews with business owners from across 
the state on this very issue. When asked about the persistence of 
discrimination, one business owner said: ``My business card had my 
picture on it, and so someone said to me, `Oh, whatever you do, don't 
put your picture on your card.' And I said, `Why?' . . . They said, 
`Because you'll

[[Page E641]]

never get hired because you're Black.' '' Likewise, a woman business 
owner explained: I have gone on interviews where I am in . . . the 
running, three people, final cut. And I have spoken to this person 
about the job and they were questioning me about my skill, my 
everything, why I bid the job. I'm looking at this person as, `What do 
you mean why, I bid this job? . . . I'm in the business of making 
money' . . . and he said to me, `Well, you know, women just simply 
shouldn't be here.' '' Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Disparity 
Study, Volumes 1-3, Prepared for the State of Maryland, NERA Economic 
Consulting, June 25, 2018, at 276-277. This is what women and minority 
entrepreneurs are up against. We must do better. We can do better. And 
the DBE program is one of the most important tools in our arsenal.

                          ____________________