(Washington, DC)- Today Congresswoman Gwen Moore announced the introduction of the Minority Owned Venture Empowerment (MOVE) Act, a bill she co-sponsored with Congressman John Barrow (D-GA) and Nydia Velázquez that would restructure and modernize the Small Business Administration's (SBA) 8(a) program.

"The development of small business in the Milwaukee area is essential as a means of creating jobs and eliminating poverty.  Small businesses create nearly 75 percent of all new jobs and account for 99 percent of all employers," Congresswoman Moore said.  "Securing government contracts can be a daunting challenge for small businesses.  Once modernized, the MOVE Act will be better able to help small, minority-owned businesses compete for these valuable contracts."

The 8(a) program, named after Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, is the last remaining federal program focusing on the development of minority-owned businesses through the award of federal contracts.  Regrettably, the program has not been updated since 1988 and, as a result, many federal agencies view it as an outdated contracting option.  The MOVE Act (H.R. 4474) will strengthen the program by modernizing it, refocusing the program on business development, and providing up-front training to help ensure that participating companies can better manage their businesses and compete for federal contracts.  These changes will make the 8(a) program a more effective initiative in the development of minority entrepreneurs.

Currently the MOVE Act has been endorsed by the National Black Chamber of Commerce and the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund.

###

For an interview with Congresswoman Gwen Moore, please contact Ashley Glacel at 202-225-4572.

Home Page | Press List