[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8843]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  SENATE RESOLUTION 311--TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
   FEDERAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES

  Mr. BOND (for himself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Burns, Ms. Snowe, 
Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Bingaman, Mrs. Murray, 
and Mr. Harkin) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 311

       Whereas women-owned small businesses are the fastest 
     growing segment of the business community in the United 
     States;
       Whereas women-owned small businesses will make up more than 
     one-half of all business in the United States by the year 
     2010;
       Whereas in 1994, the Congress enacted the Federal 
     Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, establishing a 
     Government-wide goal for small businesses owned and 
     controlled by women of not less than 5 percent of the total 
     dollar value of all prime contracts and subcontract awards 
     for each fiscal year;
       Whereas the Congress intended that the departments and 
     agencies of the Federal Government make a concerted effort to 
     move toward that goal;
       Whereas in fiscal year 1999, the departments and agencies 
     of the Federal Government awarded prime contracts totaling 
     2.4 percent of the total dollar value of all prime contracts; 
     and
       Whereas in each fiscal year since enactment of the Federal 
     Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, the Federal departments 
     and agencies have failed to reach the 5 percent procurement 
     goal for women-owned small businesses: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate strongly urges the President to adopt a 
     policy in support of the 5 percent procurement goal for 
     women-owned small businesses, and to encourage the heads of 
     the Federal departments and agencies to undertake a concerted 
     effort to meet the 5 percent goal before the end of fiscal 
     year 2000; and
       (2) the President should hold the heads of the Federal 
     departments and agencies accountable to ensure that the 5 
     percent goal is achieved during fiscal year 2000.

                          ____________________