Women Entrepreneurs
Women business owners employ more than 4 million workers and contribute about $1 trillion to the economy. But while women-owned enterprises now comprise the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. business community, they continue to struggle to obtain equal access to capital and contracts. Women entrepreneurs receive more loan denials - the share of dollars of loans to women was about 22 percent, according to a 2005 report - and only 3.5 percent of all federal contracts, far short of the 5 percent goal.
Senators Landrieu and Snowe are committed to reversing these trends and fostering women entrepreneurship in all sectors of our society. The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is focused on improving a network of women business centers to assure that women are on an equal playing field.
