Senators Urge Small Business Administration to Expedite Implementation of Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act

Press Release

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are urging the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to expedite regulations to implement provisions of the Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act that were included in the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In a letter yesterday to SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, the Senators expressed their strong support for eliminating barriers that prevent federal agencies from awarding more contracts to women-owned small businesses (WOSB).

"The inclusion of the Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act in last year's NDAA is a big win for women-owned small businesses and our economy," Senator Shaheen said. "The SBA should move quickly because removing this barrier to federal contracts will encourage more small business ownership by women and economic growth in New Hampshire and across the country."

"We introduced this legislation to help women entrepreneurs across the country break a glass ceiling," Senator Cantwell said. "There are 8 million women-owned businesses in the United States and they only get 4 percent of federal contracts -- never reaching the government's goal of 5 percent. It's time to ensure they get a fair shot with implementation of this law."

"Small businesses drive our economy and create the jobs that will grow our middle class," Senator Gillibrand said. "Women are increasingly becoming the sole family breadwinner, and with more dual income households than ever before, when women get shortchanged on access to the tools and opportunities needed to grow their businesses the whole middle class gets held back. Now that Congress has acted, the Small Business Administration should move quickly to implement the changes so that more women-owned businesses can thrive, grow our economy and create new jobs."

"The federal government should be providing women owned small businesses every opportunity to fairly compete for contracts," said Senator Cardin, Ranking Member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. "Every day, these entrepreneurs and their growing ranks of employees are proving their expertise and helping government innovate and serve the American public more efficiently."

"Congress rightly acted to give women-owned small businesses increased opportunities within the federal contracting process, and now it's time for the Small Business Administration to implement those changes without delay," Senator King said. "The SBA supported the changes, and I'm hopeful that they will act quickly to put them into effect."

"Small business owners play a huge role in creating jobs and growing our economy, so it's important that we do all we can to assist them. This should include leveling the playing field for women-owned small businesses across the county," said Senator Brown. "It's time to award more federal contacts to women-owned small businesses to give them the same growth opportunities as other businesses in their hometowns."