Supporting the Dbe Program

Floor Speech

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Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I rise to say a few words in support of the DBE program. This program helps firms owned by women and minorities are included as partners in helping build and maintain our nation's transportation infrastructure. The chairman and many of my colleagues have presented the devastating statistics that demonstrate how far we must go before we abolish business discrimination based on race and gender. I would like to highlight some of the voices behind those statistics. In a recent study in my home state of Maryland, the authors conducted in depth interviews with business owners from across the state on this very issue. When asked about the persistence of discrimination, one business owner said: ``My business card had my picture on it, and so someone said to me, `Oh, whatever you do, don't put your picture on your card.' And I said, `Why?' . . . They said, `Because you'll never get hired because you're Black.' '' Likewise, a woman business owner explained: I have gone on interviews where I am in . . . the running, three people, final cut. And I have spoken to this person about the job and they were questioning me about my skill, my everything, why I bid the job. I'm looking at this person as, `What do you mean why, I bid this job? . . . I'm in the business of making money' . . . and he said to me, `Well, you know, women just simply shouldn't be here.' '' Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Disparity Study, Volumes 1-3, Prepared for the State of Maryland, NERA Economic Consulting, June 25, 2018, at 276-277. This is what women and minority entrepreneurs are up against. We must do better. We can do better. And the DBE program is one of the most important tools in our arsenal.

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