Business Contracts and Federal Stimulus Funds

WHEREAS, the United States has allocated billions of dollars to local and state government, including college and school districts, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, for the purpose of stimulating the economy; and

WHEREAS, billions of dollars will be spent on a variety of public service projects for construction, goods and services; and

WHEREAS, African-Americans and other minorities have been historically left out of contracting opportunities nationwide; and

WHEREAS, racial inequality in business opportunities has decimated the presence of African-American and other minorities in government contracting, due to initiatives such as Proposition 209 in California; and

WHEREAS, billions of dollars in contracting opportunities will be lost in the minority business community without ensuring the implementation of minority business participation goals.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People strongly request Barack Obama and U.S. Congress to eliminate racial disparities in business contracting opportunities through re-affirming minority business participation goals.