Global Businesswomen's Day

by Jennifer Blackburn Dunn

Global Businesswomen's Day

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HON. JENNIFER DUNN

OF WASHINGTON
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, October 19, 1999

Ms. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, since I was first elected in 1992, I have had great pleasure in witnessing the tremendous growth of women in business. Women now are starting businesses at twice the rate of men and employing more than all of the Fortune 500 companies worldwide.

In my home State of Washington, there are 188,400 women-owned businesses, including part-time firms, employing 509,800 people and generating $61.6 billion in sales.

As Co-Chair with Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez for the Congressional Circle for the Foundation for Women Legislators, I am pleased to designate Tuesday, October 19th as Global Businesswomen's Day. We are proud to make this proclamation on the historic occasion of the Business Women's Network Global Summit in Washington, DC. It is an honor to salute the 1,500 delegates who have come from 97 countries around the globe and 47 states spanning the United States. Thanks to the Business Women's Network for focusing on diversity; the theme of the summit on October 19th is One America, One World.

Recognizing the importance of businesswomen and the BWN Global Summit, we are honored to show congressional recognition of the Global Business Women's Summit. How fitting it is that it is also National Business Women's Week. This proclamation salutes these women from across the globe who are symbols of hard work, dedication, and success in the new millennium.

In partnership, the Businesswomen's Network and the National Foundation for Women Legislators have created a strategic alliance: 2000 by 2000. The goal is to connect 2,000 elected women to work in partnership with 2,000 business leaders by the year 2000. Such a partnership between women legislators and women business owners has never been established. Yet businesswomen are the engines that empower women legislators. Think of the synergy--businesswomen and women legislators working hand-in-hand toward the common goal of empowering women everywhere.

Another major thrust of the summit is using cutting-edge technology to create more business for more women across more borders. By connecting globally, women can grow their businesses in new markets regardless of the size of their company. Fostering free and fair trading practices worldwide is particularly important in my home State of Washington, where nearly one in three jobs are trade dependent.