In The News

Orlando Political Observer

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a measure, authored by U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., to help women entrepreneurs and small business owners start or grow their business. Murphy’s amendment, offered to the Fiscal Year 2018 government funding package, will enable the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish five to six new Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) around the country, improving the opportunities available to female entrepreneurs and small business owners. This amendment is part of a broader effort by Murphy to bring a WBC to the Orlando area.

The WBC program, administered and partially funded by SBA, provides guidance to female entrepreneurs on business strategy, finance, government contracting, management, manufacturing, engineering, sales, accounting, exporting, and other topics.

“Although much progress has been made, women entrepreneurs and small business owners continue to face unique challenges, which is why the WBC program is so vital.  Each year, WBCs help hundreds of thousands of women around the country start new businesses and enhance their existing businesses.  WBCs provide technical assistance, information on how to obtain government contracts, and help securing loans.  My amendment will enable SBA to support the roughly 150 existing centers and to establish five or six new centers in areas that currently lack one, such as the central Florida region I represent,” said Murphy, a member of the House Small Business Committee.

Murphy’s amendment was endorsed by the Association of Women’s Business Centers, the Association for Women in Science, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and Women Impacting Public Policy.

Article originally appeared in Orlando Political Observer