Voices From The Field 

A Report from the National Women's Business Council Town Hall Meetings 

St. Louis, Missouri 

March 13, 2007 

Portland, Oregon 

June 5, 2007 
ABOUT NWBC 

The National Women’s Business Council is a bi-partisan

federal government council created to serve as an independent

source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and

the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues 

of importance to women business owners. Members of the

Council are prominent women business owners and

representatives of women’s business organizations. The

Council’s mission includes conducting and supporting 

research on issues of importance to women business owners

and their organizations in order to promote bold initiatives,

policies and programs designed to support women's business

enterprises at all stages of development in the public and

private sector marketplaces. 

For more information about the Council, its mission and 

activities, contact: National Women’s Business Council, 

 rd Street, SW, Suite , Washington, DC ;

phone: --; fax: --, e-mail:

info@nwbc.gov; website: www.nwbc.gov. 
INTRODUCTION

In March and June , the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) held town hall meetings with

women business owners in St. Louis, Missouri and in Portland, Oregon. The objective of the meetings was

to collect viewpoints and ideas from women business owners that could inform the Council’s policy

positions and their future recommendations to government leaders. 

Each meeting brought together members of the National Women’s Business Council and women business 

owners for a day-long dialogue about issues that women business owners are facing. The meetings were

held outside of the Washington, DC area to engage women entrepreneurs who are not normally connected

to the national-level policy process. Targeted participants included women in all industries, of all

experience levels, and of all income levels.The meetings were attended by nearly  women, including

owners of both small and large businesses—from sole proprietors to businesses with several hundred 

employees—and from both emerging and long-established businesses. Participants also included national 

women’s business organizations, local organizations which support women business owners, and state and

local policy leaders. 

The meetings included a combination of plenary sessions and breakout sessions on specific issues faced 

by women business owners today. Specific topics—chosen because of their importance to almost all 

women business owners—included access to capital, affordable health care, government and corporate

procurement, tax reform, education and workforce development, and technology. Each meeting included

introductory comments from state and local government officials as well as reflections by members of 

the Council. 

This report outlines policy issues that are relevant to women business owners and summarizes the content

of the town hall meetings as it relates to those policy issues. The body of the report is intended to be an

accounting of the ideas of the participants—it does not distinguish participants’ observations from what

exists in reality, nor does it portray the positions of the National Women’s Business Council. 

1
2
BACKGROUND AND THEMES 

The two town hall meetings—from the heartland in 

Missouri to the west coast in Oregon—had very 

similar themes. 

Foremost, because many of the women-owned

businesses represented were small businesses, most 

of the issues that concern women business owners 

are similar to those faced generally by small business

owners. Almost across the board, participants

expressed frustration over their ability to access

capital to start and expand their businesses, the high

cost of health care coverage for themselves and their

employees, the inaccessibility of most government and

corporate contracting opportunities, the complexity

and burden of the tax structure, and need for technical 

assistance in many operational areas. 

Discussion at both meetings reinforced the fragility 

of the resources available to assist women business 

owners with these issues—specifically Women’s 

Business Centers—due to reduced funding.

Discussion also revealed a lack of knowledge about

many of the resources that are available to women

business owners, and it highlighted the need for a

more organized source to which women business

owners can turn to be directed to available resources. 

Participants continually expressed their need for 

more opportunities to network with and learn from

other women. 

While much of the discussion can be generalized to

all small businesses there clearly are issues that make 

women’s business ownership unique and create

different challenges. 

There is a long history of financial discrimination

towards women—from the early s when women

were not separate legal entities from their husbands,

to the Industrial Revolution when legal changes first

allowed women to enter into contracts and borrow 

money, to the late s when married women were

finally allowed to have credit in their own names and

get business loans without inquiries about their

marital status. While some might argue that women

are on equal footing now, there is clearly a history

that even today makes it harder for women to 

access capital and get both government and 

corporate contracts. 

In addition, women are more likely to be balancing

business ownership with managing a family— 

creating a different set of resource and technical

assistance needs. Participants in both meetings

described how they have intentionally not grown their

businesses at the expense of time with their families.

And many described how they waited to start

businesses until their children were grown. 

In addition, most of the businesses represented were

very small businesses—with no or only a few

employees. Issues faced by those businesses are

somewhat different than those faced by larger “small”

businesses. The distinction between a small business 

and a micro-business is especially important to

women, as many women business owners tend to be

sole proprietors who have no plans or desire to

significantly grow their businesses. Many women

choose home-based businesses for family and lifestyle

reasons, and the resources they need are different than

many of the current resources which are organized

around businesses endeavoring to expand. 

3 
 

Policies in Focus 

The following programs and

policies have been cited by

women’s business organizations

and policy makers as important

to improving access to capital

for women business owners: 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

Continued and increased 

funding of federal (a), ,

disaster relief, and microloan programs which offer

small loans and loan 

guarantees through private

lenders 

Continued and increased 

funding for national training

and entrepreneurial

development centers like

Women’s Business Centers, 

Small Business Development

Centers, and SCORE to 

educate women about the 

variety of ways they can

attain capital 

Creation of a Federal Office 

of Angel Investing to

educate and promote

women’s business owners’ 

access to equity financing 

Support for legislation to

create a tax credit for 

accredited investors and 

certain partnerships that

invest cash or cash 

equivalents at an arm’s length

in a qualified small business 

4 
 

While most small business owners don’t think about their 

businesses in relation to national-level policy issues— 

and even fewer are actually engaged in the federal policy 

process—decisions made by lawmakers and regulators at 

the federal level do affect almost everything that is

important to a small business. 

ACCESS TO CAPITAL 

At all stages of business development, from start-up to

growth, access to capital is a constant challenge for small

businesses. This seems to be particularly true for women

business owners, as the amount of capital they receive

continues to lag behind that of their male counterparts. 

A primary message from the meetings was that many

women business owners are simply not aware of their

financing options. While most of the participants were

frustrated that they had not been successful at getting

capital from private sources, many of those same

participants did not seem to know about the Small Business

Administration’s (a) or micro-loan programs offered

through private lenders. 

Similarly, many participants also did not know about the

SBA’s Women’s Business Center program or how those

centers could be helpful to them in identifying sources for

capital and developing the business and financial plans that

would enable them to compete for financing. Participants

who were familiar with Women’s Business Centers strongly

advocated more funding and more access points for them. 

Participants in both meetings agreed that, for the most part,

people who have good ideas for business start-up or

expansion don’t know where to go to find information about

how to get capital. And both groups recommended

partnering among national women’s business organizations

to develop a website or a resource guide to outline all of the

different sources of capital—everything from SBA loans

and bank loans, to venture capital and angel investors, to

special programs like Count Me In. Such a guide could also

include resources for business planning, financial planning,

links for loan information, and links to state level programs. 

Most participants in the meetings had primarily used

retirement funds, credit cards, and home equity lines rather

than bank loans to start and grow their businesses. Those

who had tried to get bank loans noted roadblocks and 

Quick Facts 

According to a study 

by the Center for requirements which do not support Women’s Business the development of small business. Research (CWBR), For example, several participants women-owned firms noted that they had been turned that obtained business down by banks for not being in lines of credit or business long enough, for not business bank loans growing rapidly enough, or for not were more likely to having put enough of their own own larger, older resources into the business. 

businesses than those 

Many also noted that it is often who did not receive 

harder to get growth capital than it is financing. Those 

to get start-up capital. Participants obtaining business 

who had been successful at finding bank loans or credit 

start-up money noted the lack of lines were also less 

options for additional funding in the likely to be in service 

first few years of the business —the and home-based 

time when funding for staff, office industries. 

space and supplies is most critical to

(CWBR, Capital Choices enable a business to grow, but before

Volume 2: Value of there are revenues to support those

Knowledge, March 2006, growth expenses. 

page 20.) 

These difficulties might suggest a

need to evaluate the guidelines for

the SBA-backed lending programs to

determine if there are areas in which 

they could be more flexible to support the growth of small

business. There may also be a need to explore potential new

avenues for angel investing in small and women-owned

businesses. Another need that participants identified was for

“patient capital,” or money that does not have to be paid

back right away. 

5 
Quick Facts 

Small businesses 

employing fewer than 25 

workers have the highest 

rates of uninsurance 

(31%) and constitute the 

largest percentage of 

uninsured workers (36%). 

Of the 46.6 million 

uninsured Americans, 60 

percent are employed by 

a small business or a 

dependent of someone 

who is employed by a 

small business. (Women 

Impacting Public Policy: 

http://capwiz.com/women 

impacting/issues/alert/?al 

ertid=9173021&type=CU) 

AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE 

As the cost of health care continues to rise, business owners large and small are finding it

increasingly difficult to provide even the most basic medical coverage for employees. Discussion at

the town hall meetings highlighted a belief that women business owners are more likely to want to

provide health insurance than men business owners. But for small and micro-businesses, offering

health care coverage is often not a financial possibility. Since most health insurance companies do

not want small groups because of higher risks and onerous paperwork, small businesses often have

few, if any, options for offering coverage. 

Participants also discussed their belief that women have higher health insurance premiums than

men, so for very small businesses — if the owner and the few employees are women — their cost 

for coverage would very likely be higher than it would be to cover the same number of men. 

Both meetings included a discussion of Association Health Plans which have long been under

consideration by the U.S. Congress and state governments. Such plans would allow small

businesses to come together, through associations, to purchase insurance coverage as a group. This

would give small businesses similar buying power to larger businesses—thereby reducing their

cost of providing coverage. Across the board, participants supported this idea. 

Participants also talked about and supported 

tax credits for small businesses which provide

health insurance and tax incentives for 

companies to offer wellness programs.

Participants also discussed how state 

regulations and mandates for coverage 

programs limit the available options and

increase the cost of coverage. 

Finally, health care is an area in which business

owners need more technical assistance. For a 

small business owner with limited knowledge

of the health care system, navigating the

decision tree associated with offering a health

savings account or selecting an insurance

provider and plan can be a barrier in itself. 

Policies in Focus 

Options supported by most small business

owners for expanding access to affordable

coverage for small businesses: 

■

■

■ 

■ 

■ 

Association Health Plans, which would 

allow small businesses to group together 

across state lines to buy medical coverage

through trade associations 

Health Savings Accounts, which would

provide the employee with pre-taxed money

that could be set aside in a special account

to pay for potential medical needs should

they arise 

Tax incentives or deductions for both 

companies providing and individuals

purchasing health coverage 

Medical liability reform which would help

curb the cost of malpractice suits 

leading to the rise in insurance premiums 

Improved information technology, which

would cut down on paperwork, increase

efficiency, and move the health care industry

into the st Century 

6 
 

GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE 

PROCUREMENT 

In , a  percent government-wide contracting goal was

promoted to address concerns that women business owners

were not receiving an adequate share of government contracts

despite representing a significant share of privately-held firms

in the U.S. Subsequent legislation authorized a procurement

program to create set-asides for limited competitive bidding

by women-owned firms. As of , the goal has not been

achieved, and the set-asides have not been implemented. 

Both meetings included much discussion about the  percent

set-aside target and the fact that there is no oversight to assure

that women-owned businesses actually receive the contracts.

Participants overwhelmingly thought that there should be

some formal monitoring to assure accountability for achieving

that goal. 

There was also much discussion about the process for pursuing

government contracts. The federal government is the largest

buyer of goods and services in the world, yet the process for

accessing government contracts remains elusive to many small

and women-owned businesses. Participants found getting

started both challenging and frustrating because there is no

source where a business owner can get information about what

is available, and the forms and process are too onerous. Many

suggested the need for a clearinghouse to get information

about what contracts are available and which opportunities

might be set-aside for women-owned firms. 

Participants also discussed the process for getting on the

General Services Administration (GSA) schedule and the fact

that it is not a guarantee of business. Rather, it makes you

eligible to compete for business. Many participants expressed

frustration over not knowing what to do to actually get the

business once they made it onto the GSA schedule. 

Another issue that was important to participants was the

practice of contract bundling—a way that agencies save

money in procurement costs by awarding multiple projects 

Quick Facts 

Falling well short of its 5 percent government-wide 

goal, only 3.3 percent of prime contracts were awarded 

to Women Owned Small Businesses in fiscal year 2005, 

the most recent year for which data are available. 

(Federal Procurement Data System, 2005) 

Women-owned businesses with $1 million or more in 

revenue are more likely than their smaller counterparts 

to have large corporations (34% vs. 12%) and 

government (31% vs. 8%) as their primary clients. 

(CWBR, “Key Facts about Women-Owned Businesses,” 2006) 

Policies in Focus 

Barriers to women’s 

access to federal 

through the same contract, government contracting

sometimes over a wide geographic opportunities: 

area. This practice poses a challenge ■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

Lack of 

to small businesses because it implementation of the reduces the pool of potential  women’s business contractors to those who can do contracting legislation many different things. This issue

highlighted the importance for Contract bundling,

small and women-owned a process that allows

businesses to connect to other multiple smaller

contractors through teaming and contracts to be 

subcontracting relationships, and grouped together in

it raised the idea that the federal one large contract,

government could do more to thereby making it

help connect small businesses with extremely difficult for

larger companies who have been small businesses to 

successful as prime contractors. compete for the work 

Again, participants suggested Insufficient authority

some type of clearinghouse where and oversight over

businesses could register to be contracting dollars 

considered for subcontracting or Federal paperwork teaming opportunities. And some requirements and town hall participants talked about regulations, which the SBA’s matchmaking events, often are costly and suggesting that it should be complicated for small

determined if those events are businesses to follow 

actually generating business. in order to remain 

Finally, participants expressed compliant

that contracting officers should

be required to provide feedback

on proposals submitted to the federal government so that

businesses who are willing to invest the time in working 

on proposals can learn how better to compete for 

future opportunities. 

Participants in both town hall meetings were also very

interested in certification programs which make businesses

eligible to compete for those business opportunities that 

are reserved for women business owners. 

Both groups discussed the multiple certifications—both public

and private—which were available. Many expressed frustration

that there were so many different certifications and different

processes rather than one commonly accepted certification.

For example, in Missouri, a woman-owned business has to be

certified by the city, the county, and the state to do business

with each. It was recommended that the Women’s Business 

Enterprise National Council (WBENC), which currently

certifies women-owned businesses for contracting with the

private sector, work with agencies of government to get its

certification accepted by government buyers. Participants who

had earned the WBENC certification commented that it was 

not difficult to achieve and that the certification had, in fact, 

helped them to attain corporate contracts. 

7 
-

Quick Facts 

The costs for small businesses to comply with estate tax laws are roughly 

equal to the amount of money the tax generates for the government— 

about $23 billion in 1998. As shown by a survey in upstate New York, 

average spending for tax planning (i.e. attorney/consultant fees, life 

insurance premiums, internal labor costs, etc.) by small business owners 

can run nearly $125,000 per company over a five year period. (Survey of 

the Impact of the Federal Estate Tax on Family Business Employment 

Levels in Upstate New York, June 22, 1999) 

8 
 

TAXES	 Development Centers (SBDCs), and CPA firms offer

courses. While most who had worked with SBDCs Most of the discussion related to taxes focused on the found them to be helpful, many expressed concern that complexity of the tax system and how the time and SCORE executives were not always up to date for energy needed to understand the system takes a business today’s marketplace. owner away from managing the business. Participants

overwhelmingly felt that the corporate tax structure is 

too complex and too burdensome, especially for small Quick Facts 

businesses. Participants discussed that many women According to the General Accounting Office, a small don’t understand the terminology and are too intimidated business owner faces more than 200 IRS forms and 

by finances to ask all of the right questions. Business schedules that could apply in a given year. (NASE owners are challenged to evaluate the different tax status website: http://advocacy.nase.org/issue_briefs/2007/ options and to correctly pay workers’ compensation, FairnessInTaxCompliance.asp) payroll taxes, self-employment taxes, and taxes for

immigrant employees. 

There were several suggestions that registering for your tax And the complexity is not just a federal issue—city number is a perfect opportunity for the IRS to provide and state tax structures are just as daunting. There was business owners with packets of information on all of the overwhelming support for simplifications to the tax code steps and processes that you need to go through when you which would make doing taxes correctly less burdensome. start your business and a list of all the agencies involved in

As in the health care sessions, participants suggested that the tax process and what you have to do with each. 

tax credits for providing health care would be an Finally, there were multiple requests for an evaluation of important incentive for them. In addition, participants the impact of the federal tax code on small businesses. suggested tax credits for education of their workers— 

specifically technology education. 

Participants also discussed the estate tax and the negative

effect it has not only on the business owner, but also on

the family and ultimately the business itself. The stifling

effect of the estate tax has had a tendency to shut down

businesses and leave people without jobs. 

Participants advocated not increasing the capital gains tax

so that profits can be invested in the future of businesses.

Many agreed that there was little incentive for owning

your own business when you may have to pay more than

 percent of your income in taxes. 

Group leaders and participants discussed the many ways

to start building knowledge about the tax system; many

community colleges, SCORE offices, Small Business 

Policies in Focus 

The following tax reforms are often cited as supportive of small businesses: 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

Elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax 

Simplification of the federal tax code 

Permanency of small business tax provisions 

Elimination of the Estate Tax (Death Tax) or raising the threshold to M+ 

Standardization of deductions (i.e. Home-office, expensing for meals and 

entertainment, automobiles, equipment, etc.) 

Clarification of the “independent contractor” definition 

Reduction in the dividend and capital gains tax 9 
Quick Facts 

Since its inception, the Women’s Business Center 

program has trained and counseled more than 

500,000 clients. In 2005, WBCs trained more 

than 79,000 nascent entrepreneurs and nearly 

20,000 existing businesses. In the same year, 

more than 4,000 new businesses were started 

by WBC clients, and these businesses resulted 

in the creation of more than 9,000 jobs. 

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/ 

detail/10003113.2006.html) 

TRAINING AND TECHNICAL 


ASSISTANCE
 

While policy considerations were the primary topic of the

meetings, during the sessions women business owners said

they need better organized information and technical

assistance in many areas. Women business owners need

help dealing with much of the “back room stuff ” so that

they can focus on managing and growing their business. 

There are a variety of federally-supported, state- and

locally-supported, and private programs which offer

entrepreneurial development and technical assistance

programs for women business owners. And despite their

apparent value, most of these programs struggle to receive

adequate government funding. 

Discussion in the general sessions and in several of the

breakout sessions reinforced the fragility of the resources

available to women business owners—specifically Women’s 

Business Centers—due to reduced funding. 

In addition to assistance in the areas already discussed— 

access to capital, health care coverage, taxes, and

procurement—participants expressed strong needs for

training and assistance in the areas of technology and

workforce development. 

Participants discussed the challenges of keeping up with

technology changes and staying on the cutting edge. Since

many areas of business are technology-based, being a step

behind in technology means that you are not making the

most of your business. A particular challenge is keeping

staff continually educated and updated. As with the

discussion on taxes, participants supported tax credits for

technology training. Participants also suggested that this is

an area where there would be value in networking with

other women business owners to help each other solve

problems—from which software to purchase, to how much

to spend on technology, to designing and making the most

of a website, to evaluating training needs and options. 

Policies in Focus 

Small business development and training programs

under the most scrutiny for budget cuts include: 

■ 

■ 

■ 

Women’s Business Centers 

Small Business Development Centers 

SCORE 

Participants also discussed the security of business

technology. Technology is often the most important

support system for the company and can be vulnerable to

outside influences. Participants were interested in what the

federal government is doing related to internet security and

what information on this issue is available from think tank 

organizations. Serious concerns were raised about

potentially immobilizing viruses, specifically terrorismassociated, and it was recommended that small businesses 

have contingency plans in case of system failure. One

suggestion was the establishment of coalitions to purchase

and license firewalls to protect company systems. 

There was also quite a bit of discussion about workforce

development issues. Participants generally thought that

workforce training was critical to making up for

deficiencies in the education system. Participants were

interested in hearing ideas on such things as developing

basic professional skills, technology skills, and management

skills from other participants. 

10 
 

OTHER ISSUES 

While access to capital, affordable health care, taxes, and

government procurement were certainly the most pressing

policy issues for the women business owners who participated

in the meetings, discussion at both meetings also highlighted

the impact of other policy issues on starting and operating

successful businesses—most importantly childcare and 

education policies. 

Several participants noted that if childcare were better

subsidized, it would help more women to be able to pursue

starting and growing businesses. The discussion also supported

any tax credits that would allow women to take care of their

families so that they could pursue business ownership. 

Participants also charged that the education system is failing

small business because schools are not providing the level of

training and expertise that business owners need to hire.

While on-the-job training is important, business owners 

need employees to arrive with some basic skill sets. Some

participants pointed to increased grant funding for higher

education and tax credits for paying for employee education 

as potential solutions. 

Another area where business owners expressed the need for

guidance is staying connected to policy issues—both in terms 

of influencing policy decisions and getting information when 

new laws are passed. Discussion leaders urged participants to

be involved in local politics, to run for office, to know and

connect with government leaders and political representatives.

It was also suggested that women regularly use websites of

organizations such as the National Association of Women

Business Owners and Women Impacting Public Policy for

information on what lobbyists are doing on issues that are of

concern to small businesses. 

Finally, a theme from almost all of the discussions was that

networking and mentoring are especially important for

women business owners because they felt that women were

more likely than men to want to provide assistance to their

peers. There was a strong desire for more seminars, webinars,

websites, video conferences, and women’s organization

meetings to provide women business owners with

opportunities to learn from each other. While the primary

purpose of these town hall meetings was to elicit input on

policy issues, an unintended outcome was providing

participants with the opportunity to hear advice from

successful women business owners, to share ideas about things

they are dealing with, and to learn from each other about

resources that are available to them. 

11 
 

CONCLUSION

A striking theme across the meetings and throughout the sessions was a lack of knowledge about 

the resources that are available to women businesses owners. Participants repeatedly cited a lack of

available capital and the need for technical assistance in many operational areas. And many echoed 

the need for a comprehensive resource guide to outline all of the many options and resources that 

are available. 

While they certainly may not fill every need, there are, in fact, a range of financing options and

resources specifically designed to further women’s business ownership. That they are relatively

unknown to much of their target audience suggests that programs such as Women’s Business 

Centers, Small Business Development Centers, and SCORE—as well as banks and other lending 

institutions—may need to increase their outreach and marketing efforts to the women business 

owners that their programs are designed to serve. 

Other important recommendations for federal government leaders included: 

� 

� 

� 

� 

� 

� 

Continued and increased funding for Women’s Business Centers 

and Small Business Development Centers, 

An evaluation of the SBA-backed lending programs to see if they are 

really meeting the financing needs of small and women-owned businesses, 

Authorization of Association Health Plans, 

Monitoring of the federal government contracting process to ensure that 

the five percent set-aside target is met, 

Establishment of a clearinghouse for information on government contracting and 

subcontracting opportunities which may be set-aside for women-owned businesses, and 

Tax incentives to help small business owners do the things that they value doing— 

such as offering health insurance or wellness programs and providing educational 

opportunities for their workers. 

1 2
PENDING 

SMALL BUSINESS 

LEGISLATION IN THE 

110TH CONGRESS 

ACCESS TO CAPITAL 

S.163—Small Business Disaster 

Response and Loan Improvements 

Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to improve the disaster loan

program of the Small Business

Administration, and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.598—The Small Business Disaster 

Loan Reporting Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to require reporting

regarding the disaster loan program of

the Small Business Administration, and 

for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.1214—The Invest in Small 

Business Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to amend the Internal 

Revenue Code of  to modify the

partial exclusion for gain from certain

small business stocks. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.1256—Small Business Lending 

Reauthorization and Improvements 

Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to amend the Small 

Business Act to reauthorize loan 

programs under that Act, and for 

other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.1656—Small Business Energy 

Efficiency Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to authorize loans for 

renewable energy systems and energy

efficiency projects under the Express

Loan Program of the Small Business

Administration. 

Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]

(introduced //) 

13 
S.1662—Small Business Venture
 

Capital Act of 2007
 

Title: A bill to amend the Small 

Business Investment Act of  to 

reauthorize the venture capital program,

and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

Related Bills: S. 

S.1663—Seed Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to amend the Small 

Business Investment Act of  to 

reauthorize the New Markets Venture 

Capital Program, and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

Related Bills: S. 

H.R.1332—Small Business Lending
 

Improvements Act of 2007
 

Title: To improve the access to capital

programs of the Small Business

Administration, and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Bean, Melissa L. [IL-]

(introduced //) 

H.R.1361—Recover Act 

Title: To improve the disaster relief

programs of the Small Business

Administration, and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Velazquez, Nydia M.

[NY-] (introduced //) 

H.R.1849—Credit Union Small
 

Business Lending Act
 

Title: To amend the Federal Credit 

Union Act and the Small Business Act 

to improve small business lending,

improve cooperation between the

National Credit Union Administration 

and the Small Business Administration, 

and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Velazquez, Nydia M.

[NY-] (introduced //) 

H.R.1869—Community Banks Serving 

Their Communities First Act 

Title: To enhance the ability of

community banks to foster economic

growth and serve their communities,

boost small businesses, increase 

individual savings, and for other 

purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Velazquez, Nydia M.

[NY-] (introduced //) 

H.R.2803—Angels Nurture Growing 

Entrepreneurs into Long-term 

Successes (ANGELS) Act 

Title: To amend the Small Business 

Investment Act of  to establish the 

Angel Investment Program. 

Sponsor: Rep Velazquez, Nydia M.

[NY-] (introduced //) 

H.R. 3020—Microloan Amendments 

and Modernization Act 

Title: To amend the Small Business Act 

to improve the Microloan program, and

for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Chabot, Steve [OH-]

(introduced //) 

HEALTH CARE 

S.99—Small Business Health Care 

Tax Credit Act 

Title: A bill to amend the Internal 

Revenue Code of  to provide a

refundable credit for small business 

employee health insurance expenses. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.1690—Small Business Health 

Insurance Options Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to establish a -year pilot

program to provide information and

educational materials to small business 

concerns regarding health insurance

options, including coverage options

within the small group market. 

Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]

(introduced //) 

S.1714—Small Business Children's 

Health Education Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to establish a multiagency

nationwide campaign to educate small

business concerns about health 

insurance options available to children. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.1783 

Title: A bill to provide  steps to

transform health care in America. 

Sponsor: Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY]

(introduced //) 

PROCUREMENT 

S. 680—Accountability in Government 

Contracting Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to ensure proper oversight

and accountability in federal contracting,

and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME]

(introduced //) 

H.R.1362—Accountability in 

Contracting Act 2007 

Title: To reform acquisition practices of

the federal Government. 

Sponsor: Rep Waxman, Henry A.

[CA-] (introduced //) 

H.R.1873—Small Business Fairness 

in Contracting Act 

Title: To reauthorize the programs and

activities of the Small Business 

Administration relating to procurement,

and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-]

(introduced //) 

H.R.2532—Minority-Owned Venture 

Empowerment Act of 2007 

Title: To enhance the section (a)

program of the Small Business Act. 

Sponsor: Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-]

(introduced //) 

14 
S.269 

SBA REAUTHORIZATION 

H.R.3206—Temporary Extension 

of SBA Reauthorization 

Title: To provide for an additional

temporary extension of programs under

the Small Business Act and the Small 

Business Investment Act of  

through December , , and for

other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Velazquez, Nydia M.

[NY-] (introduced //) 

TAXES 

Title: A bill to amend the Internal 

Revenue Code of  to increase and 

permanently extend the expensing of

certain depreciable business assets for

small businesses. 

Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]

(introduced //) 

S.777—Withholding Tax 

Relief Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to repeal the imposition of

withholding on certain payments made

to vendors by government entities. 

Sponsor: Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID]

(introduced //) 

Related Bills: H.R. 

H.R.578—Access to Capital for 

Entrepreneurs Act of 2007 

Title: To amend the Internal Revenue 

Code of  to allow a credit against

income tax for qualified equity

investments in certain small businesses. 

Sponsor: Rep Pomeroy, Earl [ND]

(introduced //) 

H.R.1023—Repeal of Government 

Withholding Tax Section 511 

Title: To repeal the imposition of

withholding on certain payments made

to vendors by government entities. 

Sponsor: Rep Meek, Kendrick B.

[FL-] (introduced //) 

Related Bills: S. 

H.R.3056—Tax Collection 

Responsibility Act of 2007 

Title: To amend the Internal Revenue 

Code of  to repeal the authority 

of the Internal Revenue Service to use 

private debt collection companies, to

delay implementation of withholding

taxes on government contractors, to

revise the tax rules on expatriation, and

for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Rangel, Charles B.

[NY-] (introduced //) 

TRAINING & TECHNICAL 

ASSISTANCE 

S.1671—Entrepreneurial 

Development Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to reauthorize and improve

the entrepreneurial development

programs of the Small Business

Administration, and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

S.1784—Military Reservist and Veteran 

Small Business Reauthorization and 

Opportunity Act of 2007 

Title: A bill to amend the Small 

Business Act to improve programs for

veterans, and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]

(introduced //) 

H.R.2284 

Title: To amend the Small Business Act 

to expand and improve the assistance

provided by Small Business

Development Centers to Indian tribe

members, Alaska Natives, and Native 

Hawaiians. 

Sponsor: Rep Udall, Tom [NM-]

(introduced //) 

H.R.2359—SBA Entrepreneurial 

Development Programs Act of 2007 

Title: To reauthorize programs to assist

small business concerns, and for other 

purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-]

(introduced //) 

H.R.2397—SBA Women's Business 

Programs Act of 2007 

Title: To reauthorize the women’s 

entrepreneurial development programs

of the Small Business Administration, 

and for other purposes. 

Sponsor: Rep Fallin, Mary [OK-]

(introduced //) 

15 
SPEAKERS AND DISCUSSION LEADERS
 

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 

MARCH 13, 2007 

Susan Bari, Women’s Business Enterprise 

National Council, NWBC member 

Christine Bierman, Colt Safety, Fire & Rescue 

Rebecca Boenigk, Neutral Posture Inc.,

NWBC member 

Virginia Campbell, Campbell Consulting Group 

Charles A. Dooley, St. Louis County Executive 

Judy Dungan, Office of Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) 

Kathryn Eshelman, Grade A Notes,

NWBC member 

Marsha Firestone, President & Founder, 

Women Presidents’ Organization 

Anna Jinkerson, Office of Congressman 

Russ Carnahan (D-MO-) 

Lorri Keenum, Midwest Trenching & 

Excavating, Inc. 

Annie Presley, The McKellar Group, Inc.,

former NWBC member 

Francis Slay, Mayor, City of St. Louis 

Susan Solovic, SBTV.com, NWBC member 

Donna White, Director, State of Missouri 

Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity 

PORTLAND, OREGON 

JUNE 5, 2007 

Susan Au Allen, U.S. Pan Asian American 

Chamber of Commerce, NWBC member 

Julie Duryea, Souk, LLC 

Kathryn Eshelman, Grade A Notes,

NWBC member 

Sheri Fitts, Portland Female Executives 

Pat Granum, Co-Operations, Inc. 

Mary Ann Gray, Westside Secretarial 

Beverly Inman-Ebel, TLC, Talk Listen

Communicate, NWBC member 

Connie Marshall, Region X Advocate, U.S. Small

Business Administration Office of Advocacy 

Diana McKnight, Professional Women's 

Network NW 

Lydia Muñiz, Governor’s Advocate for Minority,

Women and Emerging Small Businesses,

State of Oregon 

Michele O’Hara, Luminous Brands 

16 

National Women’s Business Council 

 Third Street, SW

Suite  

Washington, DC 

-- 

www.nwbc.gov 

This research was conducted for the National Women’s 

Business Council (NWBC) by Synthesis Professional Services.

The opinions and recommendations of the authors of this

study do not necessarily reflect official policies or positions of

the NWBC, the U. S. Small Business Administration or any

other agency of the U. S. Government.