E-News: Entrepreneurship

Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Conference

President Bush announced key policy initiatives aimed to help America's small business sector at the dynamic two-day conference featuring cutting-edge information for women business owners. The Department of Labor, Small Business Administration, and the Public Forum Institute sponsored the groundbreaking "Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century" conference where more than 1,200 women business owners attended in Washington, D.C. and scores of others joined by satellite. The President applauded small businesses for their crucial role in creating jobs during the downturn in the economy. "Small businesses embody the American values of hard work, risk-taking and independence," declared President Bush. His Small Business Agenda focused on priority issues for attendees at the conference including affordable health care, access to capital, and government contracting among others. View President Bush's Small Business Agenda.

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Secretary Elaine L. Chao welcomes women business owners to the conference.

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao recognized the extraordinary strides made by women business owners in her remarks at the conference. The unique perspective women business owners bring to the work environment, and to their employees -- especially in the areas of education, workplace flexibility, retirement, and healthcare -- was stressed by Secretary

Chao. She summarized the Labor Department's efforts to meet the modern and complex needs of women business owners and their workforce. Flexibility by government is central to dealing with the multitude of issues facing women.

"It's time for the federal government to understand that our work and family lives are changing. Balancing work and family is increasingly difficult, especially for women, so we want to make policy changes that give employers and employees more options, more flexibility," stated Secretary Chao.

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao spoke about efforts to modernize the Labor Department's interaction with business, including focus on helping small firms comply with laws. She noted that complex regulations are confusing and burdensome for small businesses. "We all want a safe, healthy, fair workplace for employees, and assisting compliance will help achieve that ultimate goal," stated Secretary Chao.

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For More Information About WB, Contact:
U.S. Department of Labor
Women's Bureau
200 Constitution Avenue, NW - Room S-3002
Washington, DC 20210
Telephone 1-800-827-5335 or (202) 693-6710
Fax (202) 693-6725