U.S. Senator Joni Ernst Advocates for Women's Entrepreneurship at Senate Hearing

At a Senate hearing on July 2, 2023, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee, discussed her initiatives to increase possibilities for women's entrepreneurship. The hearing's main objectives were to encourage and promote female entrepreneurs and small enterprises controlled by women.

In order to support women-owned small enterprises, Senator Joni identified three important steps. She worked to increase mentorship options for female entrepreneurs, provide childcare availability in rural areas, and combat fraud in the Women-Owned Small Business contracting programme.

In her remarks, Senator Joni emphasised the significance of continuous resource allocation in the Women's Business Centre programme of the Small Business Administration. She emphasised the need for a more equitable allocation of programme resources across all states, especially in rural areas, noting that Iowa, her home state, only had one centre to serve the whole state.

Senator Joni also voiced her concern about the difficulties small companies are facing in the present economic climate. She discussed her work on the PROVE It Act, which would offer small companies a voice in the rulemaking process of federal agencies with the goal of lowering regulatory burdens and promoting economic expansion.

Access to childcare also came up as a crucial problem in Senator Joni’s discussion. She talked on the issue of 53,000 women quitting their jobs in Iowa since 2020 because there aren't enough cheap and high-quality daycare choices available. In response, she presented the bipartisan Small Business Child Care Investment Act to increase non-profit childcare providers' access to SBA loans, with an emphasis on developing more affordable daycare choices in rural communities.

The senator also emphasised the value of coaching and mentoring for female business owners. Her SCORE Act of 2023 seeks to update the SCORE programme of the Small Business Administration by assembling a group of National Women's Business Coaches who will collaborate with current coaches to offer valuable assistance to aspiring and established business owners, ensuring they receive pertinent support on their road to success.

The Accountability in Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Act, which addresses fraud in the Women-Owned Small Business contracting programme, was the subject of Senator Joni’s last speech. With this measure, self-certification would no longer be allowed under the programme, and federal agencies will be held responsible for achieving their objectives for women-owned small business contracting.

U.S. Senator Joni’s comments before the Senate hearing, in conclusion, emphasised her dedication to promoting opportunities for small companies and supporting women entrepreneurs. She wants to improve small enterprises, support female entrepreneurs, and promote economic growth through her suggested legislation and activities.