A measure authored by U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and signed into law in January 2019 is receiving praise and recognition.
The Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment (WEEE) Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in January 2019 after being approved by Congress in December 2018. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) and enjoyed support and advocacy from anti-poverty and humanitarian groups in addition to being vocally backed by White House advisor Ivanka Trump.
Here’s what some are saying about the WEEE Act so far:
“[S]trengthens US efforts to promote opportunity for female entrepreneurs worldwide. At a time when bipartisanship is elusive, elected officials on both sides of the aisle agree on one thing: Women’s economic participation is a worthwhile investment.”
–– Jamille Bigio and Rachel Vogelstein, Women could boost the global economy, but outdated laws are holding them back, CNN Business Perspectives (1/15/19)
“[The Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act] bolsters efforts focused on women by the United States Agency for International Development. First daughter Ivanka Trump, a White House adviser who has made supporting women in business part of her portfolio, led the policy process over the past year and a half.”
–– Ivanka Trump plans global women’s economic development push, Associated Press (1/1/19)
“[T]he bill would significantly boost global efforts to support more women to start or grow businesses, enter the workforce, or otherwise advance economically… The WEEE Act strikes at the roots of poverty using modern tools that can’t be contained in a box. Its passage brings us one small but important step closer to achieving gender parity in the world economy, which could add an astonishing $28 trillion each year to the global GDP.”
–– Michelle Nunn, Empower women, turbo-charge the global economy, The Hill (12/28/18)
“[The WEEE Act] aims to provide support for women-led ventures in developing countries and help them overcome gender-related barriers to economic growth… The measure had similar goals to the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), a project [Ivanka Trump] helped launch with the World Bank in mid-2017.”
–– Women’s Economic Empowerment Bill Supported By Ivanka Trump Becomes Law, Refinery 29 (1/10/19)
“Fortunately, there are steps being made to understand and tackle the barriers facing women entrepreneurs… Recently in the USA, President Trump signed into law the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment (WEEE) Act.”
–– Editorial, The number of women starting businesses is on the rise, but more can be done, BOSS Magazine (1/16/19)
Boozman also took to the Senate floor in late January 2019 to hail the passage of the bill and its enactment into law. He expressed confidence in U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green and the entire USAID team which is charged with implementing the law.
“USAID, which uses strategic investments to promote growth and development while advancing U.S. interests and influence, is perfectly situated to implement this initiative because it understands how to effectively deploy resources to – as its mission states – ‘lift lives, build communities and establish self-sufficiency,’” Boozman said.
