Businesses owned by minorities, women lobby to reauthorize federal program

By: Nathaniel Cline

Outlets: Virginia Mercury

Published: March 9, 2026

Words: 991

Last Updated: 1 day, 7 hours ago

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Kenneth Canty, a Georgia infrastructure company owner, hopes to help restore the Francis Scott Key Bridge by repurposing the large bridge structures for environmental restoration.

But like his colleagues in states including Virginia, his hope of winning a contract is at greater risk after the U.S. Department of Transportation removed the presumption that women- or minority-owned businesses are socially and economically disadvantaged from its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program in October.

The business development …

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