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Women business owners comprise the fastest growing segment of the U.S. business community totaling an estimated 7.7 million firms contributing more than $1.1 trillion to the economy. The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees the Women's Business Center program run by the Small Business Administration and serves as an advocate for leveling the playing field for women entrepreneurs in the federal contracting arena. The Committee continues to push the Bush Administration to enact the Women's Procurement Program. Enacted into law in 2000, this program creates a set-aside program to help women fairly compete for federal contracts. Women receive only 3.4 percent of federal contract dollars - far short of the five percent goal. Despite repeated bipartisan calls for action, the Bush Administration has failed to implement this program over the last seven years, costing women-owned businesses an estimated $6 billion in lost potential revenue.

The Committee has worked on bipartisan legislation to strengthen the more than 100 Women's Business Centers across the country, streamline paperwork and oversight of the grant process for the Centers, and promote greater consultation with the National Women's Business Council and the Interagency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise.

In 2007, the Committee successfully passed legislation to ensure successful Women's Business Centers receive a steady stream of funding and are working with the Small Business Administration to successfully implement the program.

Press Releases
07/10/09	Appropriations Committee Increases Budget for Small Business Programs
06/18/09	Small Business Committee Votes to Reauthorize SBIR/STTR and Entrepreneurial Development Programs
06/11/09	Landrieu, Snowe Convene Roundtable on Entrepreneurial Assistance Programs
06/10/09	Landrieu, Snowe Introduce Bill to Expand Entrepreneurial Development Programs
03/25/09	Small Business Committee to Host Outreach Fairs in Louisiana

Statements
06/11/09	Senator Landrieu's Opening Statement on Entrepreneurial Development: Investing in Small Businesses to Strengthen our Economy
06/10/09	Sen. Landrieu's statement on the Entrepreneurial Development Act
09/11/08	Statement of Senator John F. Kerry on Business Start-up Hurdles in Underserved Communities: Access to Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship Training
09/09/08	Statement of Senator John F. Kerry on Opportunities and Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs on the 20th Anniversary of the Women's Business Ownership Act
03/19/08	Statement of Senator Kerry for "Women in Business: Leveling the Playing Field" Roundtable

Articles
06/18/09	Senate Panel Approves Small Business Measures
12/08/08	What Will Obama's SBA Be Like?
10/31/08	Senators Push for More Transparency in Procurement Plan
10/06/08	Women: Revised contracting rule still falls short
09/22/08	Women, minorities still struggle for capital