The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) in collaboration with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) is requesting that you ACT NOW to ensure that the Senate Small Business Committee gets the full story on the impact of the economic climate on your business. Small businesses nationwide have been and are going to continue to experience significant challenges over the next several months when seeking capital, surety bonds, etc. We also are dealing with the impact on our businesses of the changes in existing loan terms, lines of credit, availability of bonding, and on loans that are being called in. To help ensure that the Senate Small Business Committee gets the complete picture on how the economic crisis is impacting women business owners, WBENC is asking our women's business enterprises (WBEs) to share your stories on what you are experiencing right now. It is important that we provide this information to the Senate Small Business Committee so that they can respond to your concerns by putting in place proper legislation. Following the "bailout" package that is currently being negotiated, they are considering separate legislation to create an economic stimulus which will benefit small businesses.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Tell us about your actual experiences, but we aren't looking for an involved paper. Just outline your situation and email that story to Megan Markoff at
   mmarkoff@wipp.org.
2. In addition to an outline of your situation, please include your name, telephone number, and email address so that a Committee member can get back to you if they need more information. (Please note that your contact information will not be publicly revealed.)

WIPP will send these stories to the Committee on a weekly basis.

Also, hot off the press: Click here (Economic Stimulus Small Business Provisions) to read the economic stimulus package language including the “none of these funds” and SBA small business loans provisions. The Senate will be considering this bill in the next few days.

This is an opportunity for your voice to be heard during this critical time. Please act now!

Speak Out Against SBE Proposed Ruling:
At this historic financial crossroads, a proposed ruling curtailing the growth of a major economic engine, women’s businesses, is being railroaded into approval by the Small Business Administration and the Office of Management and Budget. The women’s business community has waited seven years for implementation of the Women’s Procurement Program, part of The Equity in Contracting for Women Act passed into law in 2000. This would enable women's businesses, representing 41% of all privately-held firms in the U.S., to access 5% of Federal contracts, which is more than the 3.3% they receive today. Yet the SBA and OMB are instead seeking to finalize a proposed ruling that would limit that access to only four of 140 industries – or only 1,400 of the total 10.4 million women owned companies. Moreover, it would require federal agencies to make a finding of past discrimination before being able to implement the program - creating a liability few, if any of these agencies, would accept.

The difference in Federal spend between 5% and 3.3% was $7.5-billion in 2006. This will negatively impact communities where women-owned firms employ more than 12.8 million people and generate $1.9 trillion in revenues.

This inequitable ruling must be stopped and replaced, for the good of women’s businesses, the millions of people they employ and the country as a whole.

Take action by voicing your opposition at the Women Impacting Public Policy website:
http://capwiz.com/womenimpacting/home/.

The WIB2008 program and exhibition books are available for download by clicking on the appropriate link below.

WIB exhibitor book