Meng And Salazar Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation To Help Women Entrepreneurs Succeed

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Grace Meng (D-NY) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) reintroduced a bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives to help increase federal support for female entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses. The legislation was also reintroduced in the Senate by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

The Interagency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise Act would reauthorize the Interagency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise (ICWBE) by making sure a chairperson is appointed to operate the panel.

Established in 1979, the ICWBE is a U.S. government entity charged with coordinating federal resources to help women-owned businesses grow and succeed. It was maintained during both Democratic and Republican administrations but became inactive in 2000. Since then, no other federal agency has had the authority to help coordinate federal resources for women owned businesses.

Appointing a chairperson would help increase the ability of the federal government to provide targeted assistance to women entrepreneurs as they seek to start and grow their businesses. It would also update the agencies and departments that would coordinate to make sure all resources are being used effectively. In addition, the bill would update the interagency mission to identify the barriers women business owners and women entrepreneurs face in starting and growing their businesses.

“As a former member of the House Small Business Committee and the daughter of small business owners in Queens, I know firsthand the importance of empowering entrepreneurs and how that not only helps our local communities, but our national economy,” said Rep. Meng. “Doing all that we can to help empower half of the nation’s entrepreneurs, just makes sense and is the right thing to do. Helping women business owners flourish helps ensure a strong economy and greater prosperity. The fact that this is a bipartisan and bicameral effort, shows how important this is for our country, and the millions of female entrepreneurs across the nation.”

“Women deserve a seat at the table,” said Rep. Salazar. “I am proud to co-sponsor this bill to ensure that the Women’s Business Enterprise has a chairperson to operate and lead the panel. Women have made monumental steps as business owners and entrepreneurs, and we must remove all barriers so that women continue to succeed.”

“I’m glad that my colleagues in the House of Representatives are introducing this important legislation,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our bill would help make sure women entrepreneurs and business owners have fair access to resources across federal agencies and push the federal government to share and implement best practices so more women can start and grow their businesses.”

“I applaud Reps. Meng, Salazar and Senator Duckworth for leading this bill that embodies a resolute commitment to advancing women's business ownership and fostering a more diverse and inclusive space for women-led startups,” said Wendy Diamond, CEO and founder of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization. “It underscores the dedication to dismantling barriers and paving the way for the continued success of women entrepreneurs.”

“Ensuring women entrepreneurs have a voice across the whole of government is critically important,” said Corinne Goble, CEO of the Association of Women’s Business Centers. “As the leading organization for public private partnerships between federal governments and women business owners, AWBC is wholeheartedly endorsing this legislation and commends Reps. Meng, Salazar, and Senator Duckworth for continuing to raise and advance an important issue.”

If revived, the ICWBE would look at the behavior of federal agencies in how they support, expand, and strengthen resources and programs for women-owned businesses – ultimately making sure that the federal government is doing all it can to support female entrepreneurs.