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Hirono, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing National Women’s Small Business Month

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and more than 50 of her colleagues in introducing a resolution that recognizes October 2023 as National Women’s Small Business Month. The resolution passed the Senate floor with unanimous support.

Specifically, the resolution underscores the significant contributions of women small business owners and women entrepreneurs to the small business community as a whole:

  • There are over $12 million women-owned businesses in the United States;
  • Women-owned businesses generate $1.8 trillion in total receipts;
  • Women-owned businesses employ over $9.2 million workers; and
  • 38 percent of small business are women-owned.

In addition to Senators Hirono, Shaheen, and Ernst, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators James Risch (R-ID), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Patty Murray (D-WA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mike Braun (R-IN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Steve Daines (R-MT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Barasso (R-WY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), John Coryn (R-TX), Tina Smith (D-MN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), James Lankford (R-OK), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Boozman (R-AR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Todd Young (R-IN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mark Warner (D-VA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA).

The full text of the resolution is available here.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Senator Hirono has worked to secure federal support for small businesses in Hawaii and across the country. In June 2023, Senator Hirono hosted several events as part of the 7th annual Hawaii on the Hill, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. The three-day event provided members of the Hawaii business community the opportunity to meet directly with Congressional leaders and Administration officials, while also showcasing Hawaii businesses and products to Members of Congress, their staff, and the D.C. community. In April 2023, Senator Hirono met with local business owners on Kauai who have received guidance and support from the U.S. Small Business Administration, to discuss federal funding these businesses have received during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2023, Senator Hirono also introduced the SBA Office of Native American Affairs Enhancement and Modernization Act, legislation to increase the representation and financial resources available to Native American small-business owners.

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