,,iv  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #ifi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,june #bf1 #bjah,mrs4 
,murphy ( ,florida 7= h]self1 ,ms4      
,ros-,leht951 & ,mr4 ,pocan7 submitt$ ! 
foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !    
,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce         
,,resolution  ,recogniz+ ! accompli%m5ts
 & ! economic contributions ( lesbian1  
gay1 bisexual1 & transg5d] 7,,lgbt7     
entrepr5eurs & small bus9ess own]s4     
,:]eas accord+ to ! ,national ,,lgbt    
,*amb] ( ,comm]ce 7,,nglcc71 !re are an 
e/imat$ #a4d million ,,lgbt-own$        
bus9esses across ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas
 ov] #a1jjj bus9esses are               
,,nglcc-c]tifi$ ,,lgbt ,bus9ess         
,ent]prises 7,l,g,b,t,b,es7 & majority  
own$1 op]at$1 manag$1 & controll$ by    
,,lgbt ,am]icans2 ,:]eas ,,lgbt-c]tifi$ 
companies report$ an av]age ( #b4e      
million 9 annual rev5ues & contribute   
ov] #a4ae billion to ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
economy2 ,:]eas if all e/imat$          
,,lgbt-own$ bus9esses 9 ,am]ica are     

comb9$1 ! economic contribution exce$s  
#a4g trillion2 ,:]eas ! majority (      
c]tifi$ ,,lgbt-own$ bus9esses are locat$
 9 ! ,/ates ( ,cali=nia1 ,new ,york1    
,texas1 ,florida1 & ,georgia ) support  
provid$ by a network ( affiliat$ ,,lgbt 
*amb]s ( comm]ce ?r\gh\t ! ,unit$       
,/ates2 ,:]eas c]tifi$ ,,lgbt-own$      
bus9esses h creat$ ov] #cc1jjj jobs 9 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas c]tifi$           
,,lgbt-own$ bus9esses survive an av]age 
( #ab ye>s1 despite ! national av]age = 
small bus9ess closures be+ #e ye>s2     
,:]eas ,,lgbt entrepr5eurs h />t$       
successful small bus9esses across a wide
 v>iety ( indu/ries1 includ+ consult+1  
m>ket+1 con/ruction1 legal s]vices1 &   
def5se contract+2 ,:]eas a c]tifi$      
,,lgbt-own$ firm 0 select$ z ! #bjaf    
,small ,bus9ess ( ! ,ye> by ! ,small    
,bus9ess ,adm9i/ration2 & ,:]eas despite
 decades ( discrim9ation on ! basis (   
sexual ori5tation & g5d] id5tity1 ,,lgbt
 entrepr5eurs & small bus9ess own]s     
cont9ue to fight = equal opportunities  

across key aspects ( life su* z         
employm5t1 h\s+1 & cr$it3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be
 x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives        
recognizes ! accompli%m5ts & economic   
contributions ( ,,lgbt entrepr5eurs &   
small bus9ess own]s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4