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Read. Follow. Verify.Hearing on Fostering Women's Entrepreneurial Success
Record date · January 1, 2018
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What This Bill Does
The House Subcommittee on Health and Technology held a hearing to examine the growth of women-owned businesses and the persistent challenges they face, particularly regarding access to capital and financing. The session featured testimony from four women business leaders on their experiences and the effectiveness of current support programs.
This hearing serves as a formal record of the barriers women business owners face in securing funding, which informs potential future federal policy regarding Small Business Administration programs and venture capital access.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Women entrepreneurs
They are the primary subject of the hearing, which examines the financing and support structures available for their business ventures.
Small Business Administration
The agency's programs, such as Women's Business Centers and SCORE, are evaluated for their effectiveness in supporting women business owners.
Key Facts
- As of 2016, there were 11.3 million women-owned businesses in the U.S.
- Women-owned businesses employed nearly 9 million people and generated over $1.6 trillion in 2016.
- Between 2007 and 2016, the number of women-owned businesses increased by approximately 45 percent.
- Women-owned businesses currently represent roughly 38 percent of all U.S. businesses.
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- Men typically launch businesses with twice the capital of women.
- Less than 10 percent of all venture funds are granted to women-led businesses.
- The hearing was held on October 12, 2017, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
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Growth Disparity
The hearing highlights that while women-owned businesses grew five times faster than the national average between 2007 and 2016, they still only represent 38% of total businesses.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz5Current news / social attention level
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