WIPP - Women Impacting Public Policy Blog

WIPP Drafts Health Care Reform Statement

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:08:06 -0500

WIPP is drafting a statement on health care reform and we would like your thoughts as we finalize it

DRAFT

On behalf of the 49 organizations and over half a million business owners we represent nationwide, we believe that the need for healthcare reform has never been stronger. Small business owners have been calling for reform for many years because healthcare plans have not been affordable or accessible to them.

At the heart of reform for women owned businesses is the establishment of a nationwide purchasing pool. We endorse the components of a bill that was introduced by Senators Durbin, Lincoln, and Snowe, S. 979, the SHOP Act. We wholeheartedly agree with state based exchange programs but believe that critical to their success is the inclusion of private nationwide plans for businesses that have fifty employees or less. In addition, we support a simplified enrollment process, the utilization of small business organizations, and a web portal to assist small businesses in making healthcare benefit decisions. We believe that any reform proposal should include tax credits for small businesses who offer healthcare to their employees. Further, we support an individual mandate but not an employer mandate for small businesses as we cannot be certain that reform will give us the lower rates we need to offer insurance.

WIPP is opposed to taxation of employees health benefits because it places a further burden on those who work for small businesses. Although there are suggestions that placing a cap on the ability to deduct premiums could create a downward pressure on premiums, we are unwilling to take that risk.

We stand behind the healthcare principles contained in the Economic Blueprint - The Women's Business Owners' Platform for Growth. Click here to read the healthcare principles; click here to read the complete Economic Blueprint.

Pfizer Announces New Program to help Unemployed

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:58:04 -0500

I recently heard about a great new program that may be helpful to someone you know. Pfizer Inc. recently announced an innovative patient assistance program to help eligible unemployed Americans and their families who have lost their health insurance maintain access to their Pfizer medicines. Called MAINTAIN (Medicines Assistance for Those who Are in Need), the program will allow qualifying patients and their families to receive up to a year's supply of Pfizer medicines for free.

Eligibility requirements of the new program include:

- The primary wage earner has become unemployed since January 1, 2009
- They have been taking a Pfizer medicine for at least 3 months prior to the unemployment and enrolling in the program
- They have no prescription drug coverage
- They can attest to financial hardship

For more information about the program, call 1-866-706-2400 or visit www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com

Link to website: http://www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com/pages/Programs/programdetails.aspx?p=116

Powerful Choices: Becoming Clean-Energy Aware and Electricity-Wise

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:43:14 -0500

Most women can't imagine a day without flipping on a light, powering up a computer, or microwaving their food. But we rarely think about where that electricity comes from and the impact our electricity choices have on the environment, the air we breathe, and our economy. Every month at bill-paying time, we know how the power bill weighs on the household budget, and now it is more important than ever to make wise choices about the electricity we use.

How clean is my electricity?

- It depends on which sources of electricity are used. Nuclear, hydro (water), wind, and solar are energy sources that don't emit air pollution or pollution that contributes to global warming.

Find out how clean your electricity is.
- You can get information on your utility's fuel mix and emissions profile and even calculate the emissions your home or business produces. Go to www.epa.gov/cleanenergy; look under "Energy and You."

Check your utility when you write your check.

- Check your utility's Web site for information on clean energy, conservation, and efficiency programs offered for your home or business. Find out how your utility plans to provide cleaner electricity; let the utility know your position.

Think bigger picture - your state and our country

- Check your state and federal energy department Web sites for information on the growing number of incentive programs that fund energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades for your home or business. Start with www.energy.gov for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Change your elected leaders along with your light bulbs.
- Pay attention to what policies local, state, and federal elected officials advocate. Vote for leaders who will move our country towards clean energy sources.

Where does most of the electricity in my home go?

- Home owners use electricity for lighting, operating appliances, producing hot water and, in some cases, heating and cooling.

- On average, air conditioning consumes 16 percent; your refrigerator, 13.7 percent; water heating, 9.1 percent; space heating, 10.1 percent. Lighting uses another 8.8 percent; clothes dryers, 5.8 percent; freezers, 3.5 percent; furnace fans, 3.3 percent; and color TVs, 2.9 percent.

- When coal and other fossil fuels are burned to create electricity, greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere. The average American home's electricity usage results in 18,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year released into the atmosphere.

What can I do in my home to help me save energy?

- Use warm or cold water in your washing machine. And use clothes washers, dishwashers, and other electric appliances outside of peak hours.

Use programmable thermostats to adjust temperature settings according to daily and weekend patterns.

- Cool down a hot house at the end of the day. That's more efficient than leaving the air conditioner running, even on a high temperature setting.

Buy Energy Star® room and central air-conditioning systems, windows, and appliances.

- Heating and insulation: Have your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system checked regularly; reduce heat loss by ensuring that your home has proper insulation in the walls, ceiling, floors, and attic.

- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

- Turn off computers and game systems when they're not in use.

How can I save energy at work?

- A laptop computer uses less power than a desktop - from 30 to 90 percent less. And the sleep mode dramatically decreases use. Also, it takes no extra electricity to power up a computer, nor does it hurt the computer. But leaving the computer on exposes it to risks such as damage from heat. So be sure to set your sleep mode to kick in after 10 minutes of inactivity, then turn off your computer if you expect to be away for an hour or more.

- Selecting energy-efficient office equipment - PCs, monitors, copiers, printers, fax machines - can result in enormous energy savings.

- Energy Star®-labeled office equipment is widely available and offers enormous energy savings - as much as 90 percent for some products. Energy Star®-labeled office products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. For example, Energy Star®-labeled computers use 70 percent less electricity than computers without this designation. Aside from saving energy directly, these products can reduce air-conditioning loads and electromagnetic field emissions from monitors.

Resources

- Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and The Women's Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE) encourage women to become more aware of clean energy and get the facts about electricity because the choices you make affect you, your family, your job or business, your community and ultimately, the planet. Go to www.wipp.org to download a free brochure, Women and Clean Power: Electricity Matters.

Turning the Light on Electricity

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:33:20 -0500

In October 1879, Thomas Edison unveiled the first commercially practical electric light bulb. Three years later, Edison's first power plant lit up New York City.

Today the industry that once brought "smokeless light" to American cities supplies power for homes, businesses, industries, and transportation, not to mention more than 176 million personal computers and a national network of more than 200 million cellular phones. America's demand for electricity is growing and is expected to increase at least 26 percent by 2030.

Electricity, one of our most widely used forms of energy, is a secondary energy source which we get by converting other sources of energy. These sources can be renewable - that is, virtually inexhaustible in duration and constantly replenished, but limited in the amount of energy that's available at a particular time. Hydro (water), wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass, for example, are renewable. Other sources may be nonrenewable - not replenished by nature - such as oil, coal, natural gas, and uranium for nuclear energy.

Generating electricity - that is, turning energy into electricity - is accomplished through several different methods including:

§ Burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal, or natural gas

§ Using a nuclear reactor to produce boiling water that turns turbines producing electricity

§ Capturing kinetic energy from hydro or wind, and using solar and photovoltaic devices, called solar electric cells, that change sunlight directly into electricity.

Most of the electricity generated in the United States comes from burning coal. In fact, nearly half (49 percent) of the country's electricity uses coal as its energy source.

Electricity is usually delivered by a local utility company through the network of existing transmission and distribution lines often referred to as the "grid."

The Impact of Electricity on Global Warming and Health

The origin of the electricity we use is important because electricity generation is the dominant source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the U.S. today. In fact, the average American home's electricity usage results in 18,000 pounds of CO2 a year released into the atmosphere. Some sources of electricity produce emissions that damage the environment and endanger human health, while others do not.

The burning, or combustion, of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to generate electricity produces airborne gases and particulates that are released into the atmosphere. Some of these gases, such as CO2, are called greenhouse gases (GHGs); other GHGs include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. CO2 is the most prevalent GHG, and fossil-fuel burning electric power plants, especially coal, are its primary source. Coal-fired power plants are among the largest contributors of pollution from particulate matter, ozone and toxics, including mercury, lead, and arsenic. However, several new pollution-control technologies designed to reduce emissions of coal-related pollutants are in development.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), GHGs are now at record-high levels in the atmosphere compared to the recent and distant past, and they threaten public health and welfare. These gases collect in the atmosphere, trap the sun's heat and cause the planet to warm up in the process we know as global warming.

The EPA warns that global warming is expected to cause more frequent and intense heat waves; wildfires; degraded air quality; heavier downpours and flooding; increased drought; greater sea level rise; more intense storms; and harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife, and ecosystems.

Additionally, harmful health effects are associated with elevated greenhouse gas concentrations in the U.S. Global warming is expected to worsen regional ozone pollution, with associated risks in respiratory infection, aggravation of asthma, and premature death. Certain climate-sensitive diseases are also expected to increase.

To reduce GHGs and other dangerous forms of air pollution, many experts believe we must decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and rely instead on energy sources that do not produce harmful airborne emissions.

Emission-free Energy Sources

Renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal produce virtually no emissions. Nuclear energy also produces no GHGs in the production of electricity because nothing is burned.

Among renewable energy sources that generate electricity, hydropower accounted for 6 percent of the nation's electric power in 2008. Other non-hydro renewables (biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind) accounted for approximately 3 percent of total electricity generated. Nuclear energy generated 20 percent of our nation's electricity. Of these emission-free sources, currently only hydropower and nuclear operate around the clock - 24/7 - to generate dependable power to consistently meet demand.

Nuclear

Nuclear plants, like plants that burn coal, oil, and natural gas, produce electricity by boiling water into steam. This steam then turns turbines to produce electricity. The difference is that nuclear plants do not burn anything. Instead, they use uranium fuel in the shape of ceramic pellets to produce electricity through a process called fission.

Nuclear energy generates electricity from 104 reactors for one in five homes and businesses in the U.S. without emitting air pollution or contributing to global warming. In 2007, U.S. nuclear power plants avoided the emission of 1 million short tons of nitrogen oxides--the same amount emitted by more than 51 million passenger cars in a year. Generating nuclear power does, however, produce spent fuel that is stored safely onsite at nuclear plants or at designated facilities.

Hydroelectric

Hydroelectric power uses the kinetic energy of moving water to make electricity. The winds and the sun's heat cause water to evaporate. When this water vapor turns into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers and streams, its energy can be captured using hydropower.

There are several types of hydropower facilities; some use dams and some do not. They range in size from small systems for a home or village to large projects producing electricity for utilities. Turbines and generators convert the energy into electricity, which is then fed into the electrical grid to be used in homes, businesses, and by industry.

Over one-half of the total U.S. hydroelectric capacity for electricity generation is concentrated in three states (Washington, California and Oregon), and Washington is the location of the nation's largest hydroelectric facility - the Grand Coulee Dam.

Conventional hydroelectric power is unlikely to enjoy rapid growth under current expectations, due to the lack of many additional large sites for hydroelectric facilities.

Wind

Wind power produces virtually no emissions. Wind energy is really a converted form of solar energy, created when the sun heats the earth's surface and the heat drives the winds. The wind produces energy that is captured by wind turbines. As long as the sun shines, the wind will blow.

Air in motion has kinetic energy. A wind energy system transforms the wind's kinetic energy into electrical energy that can be used. A wind turbine can harness the wind's energy; a generator then converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy for distribution and practical use. Wind electric turbines generate electricity for homes and businesses and for sale to utilities.

The most economical application of wind electric turbines is in groups of large machines called "wind power plants" or "wind farms."

Wind machines generated electricity in 28 states in 2008; the top five states with the most wind-power production are Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota, and Washington. According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind energy could supply about 20 percent of the nation's electricity.

Solar

Solar energy comes from the sun's rays - solar radiation - that reach the earth. Solar energy is convertible into other energy forms, such as electricity and thermal (heat) energy. Solar power converts the sun's energy into a pollution-free source of heat, lighting, and electricity.

Solar energy can be converted to electricity in two ways: Photovoltaic (PV) devices or "solar cells" change sunlight directly into electric power. PV systems are used to power watches, calculators, ATM machines, and lighted road signs. Solar thermal energy is often used to heat swimming pools, heating water used in homes, and space heating of buildings.

Around the U.S., available sunlight varies considerably as a result of differences in cloud cover and latitude, and also varies with the seasons. These variations must be taken into consideration when planning solar collection facilities. Solar power currently provides less than 1 percent of U.S. energy needs, but this percentage is expected to increase with the development of new and more efficient solar technologies.

Geothermal

Not all emission-free energy sources come from the sun. Geothermal energy taps the Earth's internal heat for many uses, including electric power production and the heating and cooling of buildings. Geothermal power plants use hydrothermal resources, which have two common ingredients: water (hydro) and heat (thermal). The Earth's heat can be drawn from several sources: hot water or steam reservoirs accessed by deep drilling, geothermal reservoirs located near the earth's surface (mostly located in western states, Alaska, and Hawaii), and the shallow ground near the Earth's surface that maintains a relatively constant temperature of 50°-60° F.

The U.S. generates more geothermal electricity than any other country, but the amount of electricity it produces is less than one-half of a percent of electricity produced in the U.S. States such as California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah have geothermal power plants, and other plants are in various stages of development in several other states.

Biomass

Sunlight causes plants to grow. Biomass uses organic matter - wood or plants - called biomass to generate heat and electricity and produce transportation fuel. Biomass energy, or "bioenergy," recycles organic leftovers from forestry and agriculture - corn stalks and leaves, rice husks, wood waste, willow, pressed sugar cane, switchgrass - as fuel to produce electricity and heat. It can be fermented to produce fuels - ethanol, for example - for cars and trucks, it can create methane gas to power turbines, and it can be heated or "gasified" to break down into a clean-burning gas to make a range of products from diesel to gasoline to chemicals. Biomass helps reduce toxic air-borne pollutants and decrease our dependency on foreign oil.

According to the American Lung Association's report, Agenda for Clean Air: Protect the Air We Breathe, clean air remains one of the nation's major environmental and public-health challenges. "Climate, energy, and clean air are inexorably linked. Solutions that lead to cleaner air must be included in any approach to cleaner, more efficient energy use and reductions in global warming," the report states.

Universal Broadband Public Policy Shift

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:43:24 -0500

I recently noticed an article in Roll Call by Bruce Mehlman and Larry Irving, Co-Chairmen of the Internet Innovation Alliance commenting on the dramatic and positive public policy shift for universal broadband. It seems as if it was just yesterday that there was no national broadband strategy and no real understanding of why it is critically important for economic development and our national security.

Today, the Federal Communications Commission is actively engaged and leading this important effort. With $60-80 billion invested annually by the private sector and the public investment offered by the recovery legislation, we have an unprecedented opportunity to offer broadband service to everyone in the country so that all may equally benefit from it. Will they though? Even with equal access, the rapid evolution of technology will leave many behind, particularly the small businesses of America - that critical segment in our country who create the jobs and will lead the way to economic stability and recovery.

These entrepreneurs, if engaged, and if not hamstrung by unnecessary regulatory requirements, will do what they do best - innovate. So much of our future depends on technological innovation. Without innovation, without technological advancements because of broadband, our progress in every important policy and economic sector (such as healthcare and energy and the environment) will be severely hampered. WIPP calls for a national broadband strategy; WIPP calls on the FCC to provide an environment free of regulation and conducive to innovation; and WIPP members stand ready to participate.

More Half-Truths

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:46:00 -0500

A new special interest coalition has propped up once again in Washington, purporting to stand up for small businesses, but it doesn't add up. This new alliance is relying on completely flawed data and half-truths to make its case.

As you all know, I follow telecom issues closely, first because there is no issue more important for the future viability of small business owners, and second, because I have a special interest in this area and once had two telecom companies. At WIPP, we represent a number of small businesses and most specifically female entrepreneurs who seek and need the advantage of a competitive marketplace. Many companies today currently provide the broadband services my members rely on, thanks in large part to a regulatory framework established in 1999 by the FCC. They do their homework looking for the best, most reliable and competitively-priced service providers - often looking to other women-owned companies for their business as well as the traditional phone company, the newer upstart providers and even the cable companies, who have been very aggressive in wooing their business.

What shocked me is that this new coalition asserts that competition has been thwarted and investment is not occurring. However surveys reveal that nearly 70 companies provide competitive special access services.

As we represent thousands of women in business, we are not buying what they are selling because we have first-hand knowledge of what is occurring in the marketplace. Policymakers should be focused on fostering the investments that are occurring in new network technologies, such as fiber, to meet the challenge and demand of bandwidth-hungry applications that adversely affect our ability to deliver our products and services. Resorting to re-regulation of yesterday's technologies is not a recipe to deliver broadband and the latest technology to business consumers.

WIPP and WCEE Commission National Survey on Energy and Environment

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:14:35 -0500

WIPP and WCEE (Women's Council on Energy and the Environment) commissioned a national survey of 801 women age 18 and over. Key findings indicate that women are the primary decision-makers on energy and they want the country to move towards cleaner energy sources.

Women business owners are at the forefront of leading America toward energy conservation and clean energy. In fact, a majority cite moving to clean energy as our most important energy policy goal.

On both of these measures, women business owners are even more committed to clean energy than the general female population. They strongly believe wind and solar energy should have an important role in addressing our country's electricity needs. They are also more aware of nuclear energy's clean-air benefits--that it is not a cause of global warming and releases no air pollution--than women as a whole, and they are more supportive of nuclear energy than the general female population.

Other significant findings are:

- 77 percent of female business owners have cut their electricity use at their businesses in the past few years, and 98 percent have done the same at home.

- Nearly 8 in 10 (79 percent) have made their businesses more environmentally friendly.

- 87 percent favor federal tax incentives - including 52 percent who strongly favor them - to encourage companies to become more energy-efficient and use more clean energy.

For detailed survey results, visit www.WIPP.org.

WIPP Supports S.1192, the Mobile Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2009

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:40:21 -0500

This past week WIPP wrote to Senator Wyden to express our support and thanks for introducing S. 1192, the Mobile Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2009.

We feel that this legislation would be extremely beneficial to women-owned small businesses across the country that depend on affordable access to wireless services. As more and more small businesses rely on wireless technology, increasingly high taxes are taking hard-earned money out of the pockets of America's small businesses - especially during today's economic climate.

Our current economic situation demands the continuing ability of small business owners and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and lead through innovation. We believe that S. 1192 is key to reducing the financial burden on our Nation's small businesses and helping them prosper and expand.

WIPP applauds your sponsorship of this important legislation and we look forward to working with your office in the future. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact WIPP's government affairs representative, Ann Sullivan, at (202) 626-8528.

FCC to Re-evaluate Special Access to Marketplace

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:36:49 -0500

The FCC's recent decision to re-evaluate the special access marketplace is
very interesting. We know clearly that less regulation in the marketplace
leads to broader-based competition and lower prices. In fact this is
substantiated clearly in recent FCC decisions. More than ever before,
small business owners need a level playing field, the ability to negotiate
and purchase products and services that best meet their needs so that they
have the freedom to do what they do best - innovate and create jobs.

Let's do what we can to encourage competition and not hamper investment in
new technologies that offer reliable service and competitive prices to
business owners. WIPP urges the FCC to consider the facts when examining
the special access marketplace, as this decision will have far-reaching
consequences on businesses and on the country's economic recovery.

New Events and Opportunities

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:36:30 -0500

By Barbara Kasoff, WIPP President/CEO

Since the last edition of e-news, several new events and opportunities have surfaced. Many of you participated in the Nationwide Instant Impact Team meetings and/or the regional meeting in Chicago. WIPP has been providing extensive programming throughout the year on business opportunities in the federal sector. In fact, it was just a little over a year ago that we launched Give Me 5, a program focused on providing the education, resources and tools for women business owners to successfully compete for federal contracts with American Express OPEN. Within weeks of signing our contract, we launched an extensive series of webinars, podcasts and training sessions that are held weekly for business owners at all levels of expertise - those that are just considering public sector contracting, to more advanced courses ranging from fine-tuning your capability statement and federal page, certification strategies and building a powerful and strategic roadmap to bring your sales to the next level.

More recently, WIPP and OPEN are hosting day-long regional meetings, providing specific procurement opportunities and strategies resulting from the stimulus package. If you want to know what the opportunities are, how much, what industries, and how to position yourself, then you need to attend one. You will leave with specific information and a strategic roadmap. You can find our course offerings on GiveMe5.com, or WIPP.org. If you think that the opportunities for small business owners are all gone - think again. Check Ann Sullivan's Washington Week article - she addresses this very issue. Over 143,000 have been educated through Give Me 5 so far. Today, we are proud to partner with Business Matchmaking, the premier organization focused on putting you face to face with top federal buyers. I don't know of anyone else that is providing this level of access. Frankly none of this would be possible without OPEN. They recognized the opportunity, they sought out a team of highly qualified and competent organizations to deliver the very best programming in this area. They made it a priority, they invested in the program, and they invested in you. Small businesses are and will continue to be the future, and will lead the way to economic recovery. American Express OPEN is a committed partner in this process and is with all of you every step of the way, ensuring our success.

August 13th will mark the beginning of our Pennsylvania tour providing specific procurement opportunities and strategies resulting from the stimulus package. Details on the event, and future events in Philadelphia and Harrisburg can be found on the WIPP website. WIPP and OPEN are presenting this event in cooperation and partnership with the Department of Treasury of the State of Pennsylvania and several business organizations. As in Chicago, in addition to noted speakers from the state, WIPP members will provide breakout sessions. WIPP partners from SCORE and Business Matchmaking will be there as well to round out this day-long event. For more information, please contact Oriana Camacho at the WIPP office, ocamacho@wipp.org.

Also last month, on May 27th and 28th, Magdalah Silva, a member of WIPP's Board of Directors represented WIPP at the Billion Dollar Roundtable. Participants are major corporations that individually purchase in excess of $1 billion from first tier M/WBE suppliers. There are currently 15 members and Verizon invited us to attend. The program began with a key note address from the new Administrator of the SBA, Karen Mills. There were roundtables on high impact initiatives from corporate, government and non-profit perspectives, as well as a session on moving forward to increase M/WBE inclusion. Everyone has come to the realization that with the economic situation, we are all going to be called upon to respond and be accountable at a higher level. Each of the key partners (corporate, M/WBE, non-profit and government) must collaborate and help build capacity in small businesses. It's high time that we built a cohesive strategy and tackled economic development together.

Tuesday, June 17, the results of a new women's energy survey will be released. The survey was commissioned by WIPP in collaboration with Women's Council on Energy and the Environment. Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, the international public-opinion research and consulting firm conducted the national telephone and web survey. The survey results will be posted on the WIPP website on Tuesday. Please check it out - there is interesting information to report.

October 1st will herald WIPP's annual legislative meeting. Once again, you will be greeted with excellent information, policy experts and content. You will be able to not only meet but interact with policy-makers. With significant policy initiatives rolling out of Congress, our participation and voice has never been more important or your presence more critical. Within the next two weeks more information will be available.

October 2nd, WIPP and Wal-Mart will host an Economic Summit for women business leaders in Washington, DC. This invitation only event will be a land-mark event for the recognition, collaboration and participation of the women's business community in the policy-making process of our nation.

For those of you who are interested in getting more engaged at a "party" level, WIPP has just launched two teams: a democratic small business leadership team and a republican small business leadership team. For those of you that want to become more actively engaged in your party, or want to contribute your voice as input to our policy team, this is the spot for you. Please contact Jason Lalak if you would like to join one of the teams, jlalak@wipp.org.

As always, please feel free to contact the office, 1-888-488-WIPP at any time. And certainly, please don't hesitate ever to contact me.

What Happened to the Stimulus Money?

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:28:40 -0500

What Happened to the Stimulus Money?

By Ann Sullivan, WIPP Government Relations

Recently, I have had the opportunity to present a comprehensive look at the stimulus money in different parts of the country. I have been surprised to find that the perception among small businesses is that the stimulus money--all $787 billion of it--has already been dispensed and in the hands of large contactors. There is a perception that there is nothing left for small businesses.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Vice President's quarterly report to the President issued in May contains a very compelling chart that shows that very little of the money has been dispensed. That is not even taking into account the money at the state and local level that has yet to be spent. The agencies have just recently completed their spending plans. With respect to state and local government, the same is true.
Since the contracting rules remain the same as the ones currently in place, agencies must follow the standard contracting procedures. Preparing those solicitations, takes time. With respect to small business participation, the Office of Management and Budget Chief Peter Orszag issued a directive to all agencies that small businesses should be used to the maximum extent practicable. The Congress and the Administration have made it pretty clear that they expect large contractors to use small businesses in their plans to spend the stimulus money. Small businesses ought to leverage that pressure to their advantage.

It's pretty clear that with respect to stimulus money, it is not business as usual. The website www.recovery.gov is much more than a transparency tool - it is a way for small businesses to follow the money. Agencies issue weekly reports, opportunities are posted on FedBizOpps and states are listing their projects as well on the website.

If you are not a federal or state contractor, now is the time to explore a new segment of business. Form alliances with small and large contractors who already contract with the government. Become a subcontractor and learn the ropes. If you are a federal contractor, look for ways to expand existing contracting vehicles you have in place. Designate a staff member to follow www.recovery.gov and www.Grants.gov daily.

The money trail is pretty easy to follow. Don't walk away from a huge sector of business because someone told you that there is not money left. If you are a WIPP member, take advantage of the training opportunities WIPP offers in the Give Me Five program. Go for it - you have 12 to 18 months to make it happen.

Internet Innovation Alliance National Broadband Strategy Symposium

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:23:14 -0500

On Wednesday, June 17, 2009, the Internet Innovation Alliance will be holding a National Broadband Strategy Symposium in Washington, DC. The focus will be "Developing a National Broadband Strategy: Development, Adoption and the Stimulus".

The Symposium will:

- Examine the steps necessary to bring broadband access to underserved and rural communities

- Address issues of broadband demand and how content can be a driver of broadband adoption

- Discuss the future of broadband internet, deployment of stimulus funds and impacts on minority and underserved communities

Panelists include:

- West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III

- Sylvia Aguilera, Director, Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership

- Becky Collins, Small Business Owner

- Howie Hodges, SVP of Government Affairs, One Economy Corporation

- John Horrigan, Associate Director, Research, Pew Internet and American Life Project

- Craig Settles, Industry Analyst, President of Successful.com

- Scott Wallsten, Senior Policy Fellow, Vice President for Research & Senior Fellow, Technology Policy Institute

For more information on this event please visit: http://internetinnovation.org/activities/Broadband-Symposium/

To RSVP for this event, please respond info@internetinnovation.org

Help Impact the Future of Women's Business Ownership

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:09:38 -0500

The Center for Women's Business Research, the National Women's Business Council, and Walmart are sponsoring a dynamic new research study and your participation is crucial to its success. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to contribute to dynamic research that will impact the future of women's business ownership in the United States! Just five minutes of your time will help us support the growth of businesses like yours around the country.

The Council is supporting this research, which will measure the economic impact of women-owned firms in the United States, including direct spending and subsequent spending by suppliers and employees. This is the first time that this type of analysis has been undertaken for women-owned businesses nationwide and we anticipate that the results will have a profound effect on women business owners as well as policy makers, corporate executives and organizations which support women-owned businesses.

The study will be based on data collected by the Center in a brief, anonymous online questionnaire. In order for this research to have the greatest impact, the participation of women-business owners from across the country and from all industry segments is needed. This is a unique opportunity to contribute actionable data to the national dialogue on the current and future economic impact of women-owned businesses. Your participation will help assess the contributions of women entrepreneurs across the country and identify potential policies to encourage further growth at this point in time, not four years from now.

To contribute to this research, by answering a brief series of questions about you (age, level of education, race/ethnicity) and your business (industry, years in business, number of employees, and previous year's sales), click on this link: https://www.w-bizinsight.org/R.aspx?a=63. Your participation should take less than 10 minutes. The questionnaire will NOT request personally identifiable information (such as name, address, or phone number) and responses can NOT be traced back to any participant.

Please feel free to forward this request to other women business owners because the more responses the Center receives, the more impact the research will have! Make sure that when you forward the link - forward in its entirety, DO NOT EMBED or it will not work. The deadline for participation is Friday, June 19.

Your participation is greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

WIPP Urges FCC to Adopt Framework to Allow for Continued Deployment of Broadband

Fri, 29 May 2009 15:23:37 -0500

We are aware that the FCC is currently tackling the challenge of establishing a national broadband plan as a provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. We at Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) urge you to adopt a framework that will allow for the continued deployment of broadband, while maintaining incentives for private sector investment. Women entrepreneurs are innovated and heavily engaged in federal contracting and therefore increasingly rely on the latest technologies for their success. It is therefore critical that business owners in every part of the country have access to the latest broadband technology.

WIPP is a national bi-partisan group comprised of half a million members and representing 48 national Women in Business groups. We are a nonprofit organization that advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business, strengthening their participation in the legislative process of our nation, creating economic opportunities, and building bridges and alliances to other small business organizations.

Broadband technology has become a vital tool for economic success. It creates jobs and makes businesses more competitive and efficient. A 2007 study by the Brookings Institution and MIT found that a one-digit increase in broadband penetration creates an additional 300,000 American jobs.

Broadband enables telework, which allows for more flexible business models and solutions. According to a study by the AEA Competitiveness Series, telework broadens the talent pool of employees by allowing for flexible work schedules, and telecommuting for stay-at-home parents, the retired and semi-retired, the disabled and rural Americans - keeping them active in the workforce. Bringing a broadband connection to every household is especially important for small business owners. Furthermore, telework directly impacts the economy by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption in commercial offices. A study by the American Consumer Institute reveals that if 10% more of the workforce telecommuted full-time, greenhouse gases would be reduced by 45 million tons each year.

With these benefits, it is clear that the FCC's objective must be to bring broadband to every home in America. To achieve this goal, investment by private sector providers will be necessary. As is, the telecom sector invests more in broadband infrastructure than the federal government invests in all forms of transportation, according to a study by Empiris. We must ensure that incentives remain in place for the private sector to continue its support, in partnership with the public sector, to deliver ubiquitous broadband across the country.

As we move towards a 21st century economy, it is undeniable how important broadband has become to business and job growth. The FCC's broadband plan must incorporate policies that make broadband affordable and accessible to all Americans.

Unfair Competition in Connecticut

Thu, 28 May 2009 17:18:32 -0500

There is an issue before the Connecticut General Assembly that I would like to call your attention to if you are a Connecticut resident. An amendment to House Bill HB6604 has been introduced that could jeopardize competition in Connecticut's video market. This amendment would prevent companies from competing with cable and would take away your ability to choose you provider - there is no question that this will drive prices up.

If you are a Connecticut resident, please contact your representative and let him or her know that you oppose this, or contact Oriana Camacho at the WIPP office for more information - ocamacho@wipp.org.