Washington, DC (May 24, 2017) – Airport Minority Advisory Council President, Krystal Brumfield released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s FY’18 budget proposal to eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) within the U.S. Department of Commerce:

“I am disturbed by the Trump Administration’s recently released budget calling for the wholesale elimination of the MBDA.  For more than four decades, MBDA has served as a vital tool in assisting minority-owned businesses build scale and create jobs”, stated Brumfield. “Defunding MBDA works against AMAC’s core mission and values. Elimination of this Agency will cause severe implications to the business community at large. Companies that are clients of the MBDA are fast-growing, innovative, and represented in every industry sector including aviation. If MBDA is eliminated our overall economy will suffer.”

Brumfield added, “According to MBDA’s own data, minority-owned firms contribute over $1.4 trillion in annual economic output to the U.S. economy and directly account for 7.2 million U.S. jobs.  If this Administration is sincere about making America great, minority-owned businesses must remain a priority.  I urge our allies in Congress to sustain this vitally important agency.”

AMAC is the only national non-profit trade association dedicated to promoting the full participation of minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises (M/W/DBEs) in airport contracting and the inclusion of minorities and women in employment.