[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E746-E747]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE VETERANS FEDERAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 
                                  2003

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LANE EVANS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 10, 2003

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing H.R. 1712, the 
``Veterans Federal Procurement Opportunity Act of 2003.'' This bill 
provides numerous checks and balances to assure that veteran small 
business owners receive appropriate consideration when pursuing Federal 
contracts. This measure also provides the mechanisms to achieve goals 
for awarding federal contracts to specified small business concerns 
already established by Congress. It further establishes a Development 
Program for Small Business Concerns Owned and Controlled by Qualified 
Service-Disabled Veterans; provides for a 3% Federal procurement 
participation goal for veteran-owned small businesses; increases the 
Government-wide Federal small business participation goal from 23 to 28 
percent; eliminates double counting of small business categories; 
credits both prime contracts awarded to small businesses and applicable 
small business subcontracts awarded by prime contractors towards the 
achievement of an agency's small business participation goals; provides 
for a penalty to be assessed to prime contractors who fail to utilize 
small business firms outlined in subcontracting plans subsequent to a 
contract award; provides a restriction on the use of funds by an agency 
in the subsequent year after failing to meet its small business 
subcontracting goals; authorizes the appropriation of $1 million 
annually for the National Veterans Business Development Corporation in 
fiscal years 2005 and 2006, and extends authorization for the Advisory 
Committee on Veterans Business Affairs through September 30, 2009.
  Like our veterans of prior wars, our men and women in uniform have 
fought with courage and honor during the war to win freedom for the 
people of Iraq. As we have witnessed our servicemen and women prosecute 
Iraqi Freedom, we have watched our best and bravest confront the 
horrors of war to defeat the forces of evil. As a nation we are 
grateful and the men and women who so unselfishly serve this nation in 
our Armed Forces. We are thankful not only for today's soldiers, 
sailors, airmen and Marines, but for the veterans who have blazed the 
trail before.
  Our servicemen and women have given much to this nation. We, in turn, 
as a nation have a profound obligation to them. We must provide the 
medical care our veterans need as well as promptly adjudicate their 
claims for service-connected disability. In addition, we should provide 
those veterans who elect to begin a business of their own with an 
opportunity to do so upon their return to civilian life. Our veterans 
have much to contribute to this nation following their service in 
uniform to this country. The time veterans have spent in service to 
this country, however, has competitively disadvantaged them in the 
marketplace relative to those not sacrificing a break in their careers 
in service to this country.
  Veterans who have been inflicted with service-connected disabilities 
are placed at an even higher disadvantage. Service-disabled veterans 
may not be readily accepted into traditional employment, or their 
disabilities may be such that they are unable to adapt to a traditional 
9-5 job. Despite their disabilities, these veterans continue to be both 
creative and innovative, and have much to contribute to this nation's 
productive capacity--``We owe them this chance!''
  Our nation has not achieved its goals for contracting with requisite 
categories of small business concerns. For federal contracting

[[Page E747]]

with service disabled veteran business owners, Congress established a 
goal of three percent, but this goal has not been achieved. Actual 
performance is much less. In fact, our government has not even achieved 
one-tenth of the goal for contracting with service disabled veteran 
business owners. For most other procurement categories, such as women 
owned businesses, the prescribed goal has also been missed. The checks 
and balances in H.R. 1712 provide both the mechanisms and the incentive 
to achieve small business contracting goals. They are very fair. They 
will provide the means to achieve the federal procurement goals 
Congress has established.
  I urge my colleagues to help this nation actually achieve the goals 
established by Congress--in the process, you will be helping our 
veterans as they return home.

                          ____________________