News From Congresswoman
Nydia M. Velázquez
Representing New York's 12th Congressional District - Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens
Ranking Democratic Member, House Small Business Committee

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2005

CONTACT: Kate Davis, Allyson Ivins, (202) 225-4038

Lawmakers and Businesses Join to Demand Federal Marketplace Be Open to Women
70 Members of Congress file Friend of Court Brief to support lawsuit

WASHINGTON - Today, Members of Congress joined with women business owners from across the country - frustrated by the lack of federal contracts that are going to women owned businesses - to demand that the administration implement the women's procurement program. The program would expand opportunities for women business owners in the federal marketplace. A broad coalition of 71 Members filed an amicus brief today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in support of the United States Women's Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) lawsuit against the Small Business Administration (SBA), which would require the administration to immediately implement the program.

"Despite the amazing growth of women business owners, one area they continue to be shut of is the federal marketplace," Congresswoman Velázquez said. "The irony here is that the federal marketplace has increased by $100 billion over the past four years. At the same time, studies have shown that 40 percent of women businesses offer a product or service that can be used by the federal government. However, agencies today are doing multibillion dollar contracts with large corporations - and out of this entire pie, less than 3 percent of their contracts go to women businesses."

The federal government has failed to meet its five percent mandated women business contracting goal for the past five years. A big reason for this is the Bush administration's failure to implement the women's procurement program, which was signed into law in 2000. This failure has cost women business owners $25 billion in lost contracting opportunities over the past five years. The USWCC filed the lawsuit in October 2004. However, SBA has failed to make any effort since the lawsuit was filed to get the program up and running, which prompted Members of Congress to file the amicus brief in support of the USWCC suit.

"Today more than ever, women continue to face a glass ceiling not only in the workplace - but now also in the federal marketplace," Congresswoman Velázquez said. "The administration has made no effort - and has taken no action - to actually move this program forward. Women business owners are tired of the lack of action and something clearly needs to be done."

"This program is good for everyone - it is good for the taxpayer and it is good for the government," Congresswoman Velázquez said. "It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but the administration has failed to provide women with their fair share of opportunities for too long now. With this lawsuit we are compelling the administration to do what it has refused to do for over four years now. What women want today are contracts - not excuses."

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