You all for attending. This is a continuing series we are doing listening to the women in america and having conversations learning what concerns you and how the administration can come front and solve them we care about 100 of the issues. You can pursue whatever life you want to, whether that is a stayathome mom, pursuing a fulltime career, going into public life or becoming a caregiver, you should have the opportunity to pursue your dream and that is what we hear want to encourage you to do. We are going to be listening to all types of people today which concerns on three panels. Second we will talk about healthcare and opioid sandblast, National Security and public policy, everything of which concerns you and your everyday life. We will be looking at the International Perspective in Foreign Policy but right now i would love to bring to the stage the press secretary sarah sanders, ivanka trump, elayne chao come and the administrator lynn mcmahon. [applause] i will give everybody a second to get seated. Thank you all so much for being here. I am mostly excited because i am not answering any of the questions during the session and i get to help moderate which is a nice change of pace for me. I will take those questions later today. As the president said, we are all focused on making the economy a place where women can work and succeed and thrive. The president has empowered so many in the private sector and now hes doing that here at the white house. Im excited to be joined on stage by several of the women now thats needed no introduction but because flying here and you are not it is my chance to brag on some of the administrations finest. In her role she focuses on the education and Economic Empowerment of women and families as well as job creation and workforce develop it, skills training and entrepreneurship which given her success in business is something she knows a lot about. She also happens to be the president s daughter and because of that its led to her getting all of the most glamorous assignments around here. Instead of traveling all over asia on air force one she was riding amtrak along the eastern seaboard to sell tax reform and it obviously worked. [applause] every member of congress that she engaged with ended up voting for the biggest tax cut and ensures that it will help all families. In addition to being successful in business, they have three incredible Young Children i can vouch for my kids or similar ages and hers are far better behaved, so i may see if i can work out a deal and send my kids to their house. In all seriousness shes one of the most serious and it is an honor for us to have her at the white house to help lead on a number of issues and with that i will turn it over. I will say that in public children are much better behaved. [laughter] it is incredible to be here today with this great group of Women Business owners, entrepreneurs from across the country to sit alongside this group of women that represent this administration. Im excited to engage with each of you about how this administration is empowering women to succeed in the economy and around the globe. To succeed in the modern economy this agenda includes Workforce Development and job training as well as familyfriendly legislation and policies all of which are critical to this mission. To ensure that americans from students to those that are made or late career o out of the schools necessary to secure a wellpaying jobs, this administration has been investing in the countrys most valuable assets, the american people. We recognize there are many paths to the jobs outside of the college. We will continue to push in the months to come through both legislative and executive actions. Last fall the president issued a president ial memorandum directing the department to prioritized Computer Science and the staff education in the schools grade k12 thereby aligning the skills being taught in the classroom with the jobs in demand in the modern economy. We were joined by the private sector which announced a contribution of more than 350 million. Well workforce initiatives are important to all americans as we embark on this Industrial Revolution is critical to ensure that women are not left behind, for example while women represent 47 of the overall workforce they make up only 13 of engineers and technical sector employees it is essential if we reverse the trend and thats when it ceased to be underrepresented in these wellpaying and fast growing sectors of the economy. They signed the bill into law and this was a historic milestone for American Workers and industry and the economy as a whole. We are starting to see more of the impact of the tax plan already been prior to being implemented. More than 100 companies pledged to give bonuses, increased wages and employees as a result of the tremendous savings that they will have under the tax law. These tax cuts are for American Workers and hardworking hairpins and now they will be able to keep more of their hardearned paychecks and in addition to doubling the standard deduction, a central component of the tax plan is an expanded tax credit doubling down to 2,000 per child and then independent tax credit also very critically as we maintained as a part of the tax plan including credits for th the families such as the child care credit and adoption credit many elements of the working family agenda and realize realized them as we are empowering the families to thrive. Further we are working with members of congress on both sides of the idling and thoughtful leaders across the country many of which are in the room today to build the support for a natural paid family leave program. This is essential and long overdue. We must recognize the changing composition of the workforce in which all parents work in the vast majority of American Homes and support the work and family. Women especially minority women are the fastestgrowing category smallBusiness Owners through the tax reform Small Businesses will now pay the lowest tax rate in over the years through incredible programs such as those that the administrator has up a Small Business administration and across government eliminating barriers to the women in accessing character that works and unfortunate for an example that womenowned businesses lend 120 million more last year compared to the year prior. On commitment to the Economic Empowerment stands throughout the globe through incredible initiatives in the state department, the usaid and other agencies for which we launched the Entrepreneur Finance Initiative last july to support the entrepreneurs in the developing world. Its an honor to be here today to talk about the deep commitment to empowering women and their families and i thank you for joining me and engaging in the conversation. [applause] linda serves as the administrator of the Small Business administration and has one of the more glamorous jobs which i know she loves and we are so proud and think to have her. She played an Important Role in the process in getting the tax legislation passed and we will continue pushing for that. As a member of the cabinet she strikes on behalf of the 30 million Small Businesses in america and makes short entrepreneurs have the tools they need to start, grow and succeed in business and prior to joining, she had the perfect job to prepare her to wrestle with the media and fight on behalf of the Small Businesses as she was the founder and ceo of World Wrestling entertainment. A few of you got that joke and some will get it later. She knows a lot about how to help grow and empower smallbusiness since she helped wrote hers from a third team person regional operation to a publicly traded enterprise with more than 800 employees and offices worldwide. Im sure she spoils her grandchildren a lot. With that, i will turn it over to the administrator. Thank you very much. We really enjoyed getting out and doing our glamorous jobs. It really is an honor and opportunity to talk today about what the white house has done to ensure Economic Opportunity for all and especially women. Women are the primary breadwinners in more than 40 of households and the tax reforms signed into law by President Trump last month will put more money in their paychecks and probably no one in this room did more to get tax reform passed them ivanka but especially focusing on the child care tax credit has been no pun intended, her baby and she innovated that he had pushed hard for it. As the head of the Small Business administration id had a privilege of meeting Small Business owners all over the country including many women and entrepreneurs that find only owning their own business is a terrific way for them to secure their own financial future for themselves, to provide for their families and exercise their commitment to the communities. Its rewarding but theres also a lot of responsibilities. As an entrepreneur myself i can tell you it is tough managing the cash flow and worrying about things like payroll and sacrificing the paycheck. Its especially good news for the Women Entrepreneurs who will have more money to reinvest in their businesses. The latest Research Shows women not only own 11. 6 million businesses in the United States and think about it, 11. 6529. 6 million Small Businesses in total. In the wages and salaries to employees contributed to this impressive number 1. 7 trillion of sales to the natural economy graduations, ladies. [applause] we are definitely going to help that and its spearheaded and more successful. The administration is working very hard to help Women Entrepreneurs have an easy time managing their businesses by cutting so many of the wasteful and expensive regulations that hamper job growth. The president first came into office and his directive was for every new regulation you wanted, and had to get rid of two. It was 221, so 221 regulation. [applause] we are on a positive trajectory for significance and Economic Prosperity seeking Small Businesses over 8. 1 billion in regulatory cost. To put them back into the business and hire more people, open more offices, all of those things, tax reform this is going back to the entrepreneurs. Last year they provided training and coaching to nearly 150,000 individuals in the Womens Business Centers located in communities across the nation and im excited about the future for the womens Business Owners as america becomes the best place to start and operate a business in the entire world. Thank you. [applause] last but not least, elayne chow, the secretary of transportation. She is the second serving our nation as part of the president s cabinet. Only one of two women to ever do so in the countrys history. She previously served as the secretary of labor in 2001 to january of 2009 and is the first asianamerican woman to be appointed to the cabinet in american history. Her perkier that also includes successful stints as the ceo of united way and director of the peace corps is rivaled only by her inspiring personal story. She arrived in america at the age of eight speaking no english and became a u. S. Citizen at the age of 19 and earned an economics degree from Mount Holyoke college and an mba from college and received 36 honorary doctorate degrees and has been a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation and the Hudson Institute and if all of that broad enough, shes also married to someone most of you may have heard of, the majority leader of the United States senate, mitch mcconnell. [applause] she was going through my file and this thought occurred to me, these people are going to think i cannot hold a job. Thank you so much for being here and i love being with ivanka and of course linda mcmahon. Before i start, i want to introduce you to for Women Leaders at the department of transportation worker simply leading four of the major modes. One is not here because she is in detroit let me introduce you to the head of the federal administration, stand up and let everybody see you. [applause] the acting administrator for the Highway Transportation Safety Administration in detroit at the detroit auto show. We have the acting chair for the Safety Administration from louisiana. [applause] and then we have brandy hendrix and the acting administrator for the Highway Administration in indiana. [applause] i am so proud of them for providing great leadership. Healthcare. And boost our countrys Global Competitiveness with productivity across industry and increasing our quality of life. But today our infrastructure is aging with our roads and airspace and by some estimates the lost fuel cost our country 160 billion annually. Our ports and inland waterways and Public Transit systems are in need of refurbishing. And that infrastructure must be addressed. We have a president who was a builder and understands our countrys infrastructure needs. The white house has proposed a plan to revitalize the Critical Infrastructure the proposal calls for 1 trillion over the next ten years. And for them all to work together. Transportation is only one part also water, energy, broadband and Veterans Hospital and Transformative Technology and part of that infrastructure proposal. And Regulatory Reform is another very cheap part of infrastructure so we are making a great deal of headway with the Regulatory Burden so early in 2017 we launched reforms of unnecessary duplicate his rules and regulations. We all care about the environment to protect the public and to be overly burdensome. They dont help but they are supposed to be doing. Of the permit and approval process to demonstrate why reforms are needed. And then to build that massive cooper dm but by comparison an additional runway in new mexico just recently took 19 years to complete with the permit and approval process. I went to visit alaska augus august 2017 or they could finally announce another federal agency. The way for a new road called sterling highway to be built. To provide yearround access. With those alaskan communities. And america cannot afford it not only fully impacts the economy and the department has a process a process to implement that were directed to cut red tape and regulatory cost this president had Administration Cost is associated with department of transportation is now negative. 370million in 2017 minus 500 million in 2018. We are saving taxpayers 800 million in the burdensome regulation justin 2017 and 2018 alone. [applause] that means the government is off the back and people real american can carry out their lives to take care of their families and have the freedom that they need to do so but safety is always the departments top priority. In 2016 over 37000 people died in a Motor Vehicle crash that is why this administration is encouraging the development of new safety technology. We want to spare families that tragedy. So with that i am so glad to see all of you. Thanks it is a wonderful afternoon. [applause] when we first started we said we would let the panel take a few questions so i will move over to the extended panel on the end. My name is sharon and i am from Atlanta Georgia. Over the new tax reform bill. Will it help or hurt the economy . Thanks for being here. We appreciate it. First and foremost what we wanted to accomplish we want to provide to tax relief and then to use in the Global Landscape and we want to simplify a cumbersome and outdated overweight with a special interest. I am sure you know what i am talking about and with the business side with the developed world and in the previous tax code then to make us the highest Corporate Tax in the developed world. To encourage Economic Investment and certainly as they come into the schools the world is a lot smaller than it used to be. And a lot of thought goes where we want them to locate here in this country. So creating this environment with aggressive deregulation to take the brakes off the american economy. And to think that would encourage businesses and to discuss the profitability with wages and opportunities and we are starting to see that and then to see a lot more of that with that optimism with just the announcement leading to over 100 businesses already. And that is why bonuses or those that are offering the workers expanded paternity leave. And just for the crowd most of these ladies are Small Business owners tell less about yourself. I am from the 20th district of northeastern pennsylvania i represent five counties in the northern part of the state. I am from greensboro North Carolina and i am an administrator. And southwestern pennsylvania. And in pennsylvania. So i am loving this panel but that this new tax reform how can it help Small Business owners specifically . I heard from Small Businesses as i have been out touring the country and i have been to 31 states and half of the district offices. And what i get very every Small Business owner if i get a tax cut i will reinvest that to either hire more employees or wages or benefits or open a new location. Whatever that is in the pocket so therefore the package so those that caught on those that cap out but it is just an incredible boost me and pleased to see we have entrepreneurs stepping up to the plate. For the tax reform package firstquarter 2018 it is up 18 of guaranteed loans that is an incredible indicator of where the businesses will continue to grow this is a great lift for them Small Business can speed up 20 of their income that they cant attack can deduct that will be the lowest tax rates enjoyed in a little over 80 years to level the Playing Field for Small Business owners will be essential another that is beneficial is 100 expensing of major capital investment. This is huge we are trying to encourage them to invest back or enable productivity so they need to upgrade just like infrastructure in this country there are facilities or pharma or Farm Equipment now they know they can get immediate 100 deduction over five years i think that will create an enormous amount of investment into american business. This is fun to be in charge of the panel. A Jewelry Store owner of over 20 years so i am not upset of the tax reform bill. [laughter] my favorite skill is matchmaking. I am a senator from the state of utah working as a registered nurse and a stayathome mom before being elected to the utah legislature. Can i just say how delighted i am that you are here and thank you for your contribution then for all you do for women and families. [applause] i am a full time mommy and also work at the animal rescue. Item from Atlanta Georgia 30 year Small Business owner i am so happy and grateful for all of you ladies. I am from utah and entrepreneur with the Healthcare Technology company i sold that now became an investor. I am from georgia i work in the insurance field the last nine years and we have six children. God bless you. [applause] i was just in detroit and chrysler fiat made an announcement that because of the president s tax cut they are going to move 2000 jobs from mexico to the United States and they were giving 2000dollar bonuses to their employees because they now have more money and can increase salaries and benefits so this is just one Large Company who has now made this very big step. They will bring back thousand jobs to america b17. [applause] would you like to talk about how that generates more taxable income . In our economy it went into recession and it took a long time to come back. And those that are the stock market and economy and job creators that they will lead the economy now it is unemployment at the lowest percent and on track to hit 3 of gdp growth all of those who become more prosperous we can take better care of our families. So with this type of tax reform and with personal less corporate into bring that down at 20 it is an amazing accomplishment. And in 1986 when tax reform was done it took two years so this is the president who demanded for america and all of us. [applause] having been part of the process we have one last question. So to follow up on questions and comments about inspiring and encouraging young women to pursue careers but not traditional but you mentioned what the administration was doing but could you share more about the vision and the goal . So to be competitive we need young women to pursue that. Lisa, as an an administration are deeply committed to ensure that all americans have the skills they need to succeed and this continues with Lifelong Learning for those workers who are displaced ceased to have a job and a path to be retrained and to reenter the workforce and full capacity so on every friend we are committed to this and to see where there is increasing opportunity stem fields are becoming ever critical and looking at the lens of gender women have fought very hard to get to where they are today but i am concerned we are making negative process with the gender wage gap to be so underrepresented with highgrowth and highest wages we are making a big push in those following a Technical Education or inclusion to ensure that women are equally represented in this field so part of that is early exposure. In the memorandum to direct Computer Science education that guidance that showed they were designed and it is important to think about this at an early age and we are very committed to doing that. And those that are currently vacant. So to have the highest number of vacant jobs in decades. There are 6 million jobs today unfilled and in large part due to the skill gap that people dont have the skills or geographically located. Not talking fouryear college. We are looking to realign those students. With those vacant jobs. Is it a bill or the executive order that the president was encouraging those who graduate with their degree that they practice in their field so many women graduate the dead go take a job doing something else. We want to encourage women those majoring in those fields push for for yourself and go after those jobs and practice them because we need that. And with much Research Shows more than 50 of those that graduate with stem degrees dont go into the field. If there is the apprenticeship experience and learn while you earn training and experience through education, they are much more likely to enter the field so creating that connection labor to have that seamless connection. And we need a lot of engineers. It isnt just a government issue if we see young women we should encourage them to explore their potential included those in the stem field. A lot of you have is the schedules. And all of you who attended and we continue to work with you on behalf of the Trump Administration to empower women to drive that message every day. Things to our panel. [applause]