September 19, 2024

Duckworth, Lummis Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Support Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship—and U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve reporting on entrepreneurs with disabilities so we can better understand what they need and help more of them start and grow successful small businesses. The bipartisan Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act would direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to file a report to Congress on the challenges and needs that entrepreneurs with disabilities face when starting or running a small business. Specifically, the report would include what resources the SBA currently offers entrepreneurs with disabilities, the challenges in meeting the needs of this community as well as any legislative recommendations to improve how SBA serves entrepreneurs with disabilities.

“We should be doing everything we can to provide Americans with disabilities with the support they need to start and grow small businesses and pursue careers in entrepreneurship,” said Senator Duckworth. “By improving our understanding of what entrepreneurs with disabilities need through better reporting, we can make well-informed decisions and enable more of them to make their dreams of starting a business a reality—all while boosting our economy along the way. This bipartisan bill already passed the House, and I’m proud to lead this legislation in the Senate with Senator Lummis as we push to get it signed into law.”

“Entrepreneurship is a vital part of the American dream, but a lack of resources often prevents many Americans with disabilities from owning their own business,” said Senator Lummis. “Our bipartisan solution will contribute to empowering Americans with disabilities to pursue their passions and realize their dreams of business ownership.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people with a disability in our country grew while the number of entrepreneurs with disabilities fell. The causes of this decline are under-researched due to lack of data on the resources available to entrepreneurs with disabilities. By directing the SBA to submit a report to Congress within 180 days after the legislation is enacted, the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act would help improve research so we could learn how to better support this community in their efforts to join the workforce and start or grow small businesses.

Copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

This bipartisan legislation is an identical companion bill that was introduced by U.S. Representative Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-3) and successfully passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives in April.

“Too often, Americans with disabilities face barriers to entrepreneurship and joining the workforce—my Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act would help Congress better understand those barriers so we can break them down and give everyone a fair shot at the American dream,” said Congressman McGarvey. “We worked hard to get it passed through the House, and I’m grateful that Senator Duckworth and Senator Lummis are partnering with us to get it one step closer to the finish line. I look forward to working together to get our bill to President Biden's desk!”

The legislation has been endorsed by the following organizations: Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), CCD Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and Melissa Ortiz, founder of Capability Consulting and former Commissioner of the Administration on Disability at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Duckworth has consistently worked to help ensure disadvantaged small businesses owners have better access to capital, including passing legislation to leverage approximately $64 million in support of minority-owned small businesses and other underserved small business interests.

Duckworth is also leading the push to codify the highly popular and successful the “Boots to Business” program, an entrepreneurship education and training program for servicemembers, Veterans, National Guard and Reserve Members as well as military spouses transitioning from military service to civilian life. Duckworth previously introduced legislation to help increase support to female entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses, and she helped introduce legislation that would increase fairness and equity in federal contracting to help small businesses owned by socially and disadvantaged individuals, including minorities, women and Veterans, secure federal contracts.

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