Senate passes Kerry, Snowe, Sununu amendement

[politicasista]

Don't remember if it's already been posted, but I found it today.

Senate passes funding for women’s business centers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed an amendment last Wednesday to create a grant program for established, successful women’s business centers (WBCs) around the country. The provision is now part of the minimum wage legislation being considered on the Senate floor.

The amendment, which was sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, and John Sununu, R-N.H., allows established women’s business centers to apply for three-year grants on an ongoing basis, a permanent stream of federal funding critical to helping them secure matching private funds. The amendment also prohibits the centers from sharing information about their clients without their consent, unless the information is required by a court order or for an audit of the center by federal officials.

According to Kerry, who chairs the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the amendment will expand entrepreneurial opportunities for women.

“I cannot stress enough the vital role Women’s Business Centers play in cities all around the country,” said Kerry in a statement. “This amendment ensures we will be providing women-owned small businesses the tools they need to grow and flourish.”

Citing the roughly $2.5 trillion in revenues they generate, Snowe stressed the importance of aiding women-owned firms in their development.

“We cannot afford to ignore, or minimize, the extraordinary contributions America’s businesswomen are making to our economy, our culture and our future,” said Snowe. “They employ more than 19 million workers and are the fastest growing segment of today’s economy.”

“Centers that have performed at a high level should have the option of applying for additional help to enable their important work to continue,” added Sununu. “The Senate’s action today marks an important step in the effort to preserve critical funding for WBCs across the country.”

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center Program, WBCs represent a national network of more than 100 educational resource centers designed to assist women start and grow small businesses.

http://www.baystatebanner.com/issues/2007/02/01/notes_statehouse02010767.htm

[Democrafty]

1. This is so great!!

Thanks for posting!

[_dynamicdems]

2. This IS great! But what on earth has gotten into Sununu?

It really surprises me to see him sponsor this.

[Inuca]

3. Maybe what has gotten into him

is called 08, isn't he up for re-eelction? By the way, anybody knows what was going on with the small administration bill? I saw a few minutes at th eend of day on CSPAN, did not understand much, Reid saying that the bill that will be discussed has changes supported by both Kerry and Snowe (ranking), and that's why it cannot go directly for B's signing though something supposed to be important (forgot what) expires now, then McCOnell getting to say that Snowe does not support these changes, only Kerry, and then Reid going for a quorum call. That's all I know, anybody knows more?

[rox63]

4. He sees the blue trend in NH

and he's trying to save his own ass in the next election.

[ProSense]

5. This is terrific.

I was worried because it was attached to the minimum wage bill. Great news.