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The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that promotes growth and competitiveness of the United States' minority-owned businesses, including Hispanic and Latino American, Asian Pacific American, African American, and Native American businesses.<ref name=":0" />
MBDA's stated mission is to promote the growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses by providing access to capital, access to contracts and access to market opportunities – both domestic and global. The main feature of the organization and its site is to provide business consulting services to minority business owners.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In March 2025, President Trump issued an executive order that directed eliminating the MBDA to the maximum extent of the law.
HistoryEdit
On March 5, 1969, President Richard Nixon issued Executive Order 11458, establishing the Office of Minority Business Enterprise.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On October 13, 1971, President Nixon issued Executive Order 11625, which clarified MBDA's authority and expanded the scope of its operations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1979, the agency was renamed the Minority Business Development Agency.<ref name=":0" />
The Reagan Administration established the Minority Business Development Center program, which became MBDA's primary method for delivering technical and management services to minority businesses.<ref name=":0" /> The George H.W. Bush Administration proposed eliminating the agency and transferring its mission to the Small Business Administration, but ultimately continued the agency as an entity within the Department of Commerce.<ref name=":0" />
President Trump proposed eliminating all agency funding in his FY18 executive budget proposal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This reflected Heritage Foundation budget recommendations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His FY19 budget proposal recommended eliminating MBDA business centers but retaining the agency as a policy office.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On November 15, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which established the Minority Business Development Agency as a permanent agency.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> The law authorized $73 million in appropriations for MBDA for fiscal year (FY) 2021, $55 million for FY 2022, $70 million for FY 2023, and $68.25 million for FY 2024.<ref name=":0" />
According to the MBDA, in FY 2023 it facilitated access to $1.5 billion of capital for minority-owned businesses and helped create or maintain 19,000 jobs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In March 2024, a judge ruled that MBDA must provide support to all businesses and owners, regardless of race.<ref name=":2" />
MBDA requested $80 million in appropriations for FY 2025 to continue to implement its responsibilities under the Minority Business Development Act of 2021.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It stated it had 131 business centers and programs, including specialty centers that help business owners find financing, contracts, and markets for "Made in America" products.<ref name=":3" />
In March 2025, President Trump issued an executive order that directed eliminating the MBDA "to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law", along with several other agencies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
National Minority Enterprise Development WeekEdit
The Agency holds National Minority Enterprise Development Week in the month of October, observed in the United States to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of the minority business enterprise community.
President Ronald Reagan first recognized National MED Week in 1983.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The week is formally celebrated each year by the Minority Business Development Agency, a U.S. government agency housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On October 20, 2017, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation which officially designated October 22 through October 28, 2017 as National Minority Enterprise Development Week.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>
On October 24, 2017, President Trump recognized minority-owned businesses in the Oval Office during National MED Week, when he welcomed winners of the National MED Week Awards with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and MBDA Acting National Director Christopher A. Garcia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1" />
See alsoEdit
- Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations
- Small Business Administration
- U.S. Department of Commerce
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Template:Official website
- Minority Business Development Agency in the Federal Register
- Authorizing statute: Template:Usc-title-chap
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