[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 78 (Friday, May 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1873, SMALL BUSINESS FAIRNESS IN 
                            CONTRACTING ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1873) to 
     reauthorize the programs and activities of the Small Business 
     Administration relating to procurement, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support for H.R. 1873, the 
Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act and join my colleagues in 
efforts to ensure that small businesses are given a fair opportunity to 
compete for Federal contracts. I recognize that government agencies 
have recently been bundling hundreds of small contracts into single 
mega-contracts, which are awarded to only the largest contractors.
  H.R. 1873, the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act, will un-
bundle many of these contracts and level the playing field for small 
businesses. The bill addresses the major problems that have resulted in 
limited opportunities for small businesses in the Federal marketplace. 
The bill ensures that more contracting opportunities are available to 
small firms, fights fraud in the contracting process and raises the 
Federal small business government-wide contracting goal. H.R. 1873 
implements changes that will remove a number of the barriers facing 
entrepreneurs in accessing Federal contracts, creating a more level 
playing field for this Nation's 26 million small businesses.
  I want to thank Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez for bringing this 
legislation to the committee and to the floor. The Detroit region's 
420,000 small businesses account for 99.2 percent of all firms; this 
includes almost 300,000 sole proprietors. Small businesses with 
employees other than themselves employ 915,000 people or 47 percent of 
the region's employees. While big businesses have consolidated a large 
portion of their services and number of employees they hire, small 
business has helped mitigate the pain with modest but steady employment 
gains. The continued growth in the small business sector, especially in 
the formation of fair contracting for the diverse population not only 
in Detroit, but throughout Michigan, will create much-needed jobs and 
assist in the diversification of our region's economy.
  By law, Federal organizations are required to support small 
businesses. However, contract bundling has resulted in less small 
business participation in Federal contracts. It is essential to help 
remove the barriers blocking small businesses from entering the nearly 
$400 billion per year Federal marketplace.
  I believe in the value of small businesses as the number one job 
creators in this country and strongly support this legislation.

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