WIPP At Work In Washington

By Jennifer White

WIPP worked in Washington this morning at a House Small Business Committee hearing focused on the proverbial question: What is going to make Washington work for America’s small businesses?

For women entrepreneurs, Anne Chambers (Cincinnati, OH) testified, the answer begins with cooperation. “I think the tagline for my business, RED212, is helpful to this conversation,” she said. “At 211 degrees Fahrenheit, water is merely hot. But by raising the temperature just one degree to 212, change happens – steam is created with a force so powerful it can hurl a locomotive across a continent. That one degree makes all difference.”

Thanking the Committee for consistently raising their cooperation by one degree to benefit small businesses, Ms. Chambers explained the issues centered on making Washington work for women entrepreneurs.  WIPP is looking to Congress for help on tax reform, health care reform, access to capital, and access to federal contracts.

Citing the key points of the WIPP 2017 Economic Blueprint, Ms. Chambers called for fair and equitable treatment for all businesses, effective pooling mechanisms for healthcare, a modernized microloan program, and a SBA study of tracks for women on Multiple Award Contracts.

Members of the Committee asked a variety of questions, including what the top policy priority should be for small businesses. Maxine Turner, founder of Cuisine Unlimited and testifying on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said that the answer is all of them. “Priorities are regionalized,” she pointed out. “What is the most important for me may not be for someone in a different part of the country. Every single [one of these issues] has to be addressed.”

“President Reagan once said, ‘the most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help,” Anne said. “But, what’s going to work for America’s small businesses and for women entrepreneurs is just that – help from Washington. WIPP believes that by working together in a bipartisan fashion, Washington can be ‘here to help,’” Ms. Chambers continued. “Women entrepreneurs all over this great nation expect our elected officials to help, whether it’s getting access to capital, obtaining access to federal markets, or lessening the tax burden.”

Members of the Committee agreed that they are here to help and with reaching across the aisle, Congress can address these critical issues facing small businesses.

To read testimony from today’s hearing, click here.

For more information about Anne Chambers and her business, click here.

Witnesses for “Making Washington Work for America’s Small Business” included:

·      Anne Chambers, Co-Founder and CEO of Red212, on behalf of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)

·      Maxine Turner, Founder of Cuisine Unlimited, on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

·      Rutledge “Skip” Paal, Owner of Rutland Beard Floral Group, on behalf of the Society of American Florists

·      David Borris, Owner of Hel’s Kitchen Catering, on behalf of Main Street Alliance