[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16604]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 304--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP ON THE PART OF MINORITY WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES SHOULD 
                   BE FULLY SUPPORTED AND ENCOURAGED

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

                              S. Res. 304

       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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