[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 53 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Warnock):
  S. 3929. A bill to provide for disadvantaged business enterprise 
supportive services programs at modal administrations of the Department 
of Transportation, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the 
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act and 
the Accelerating Small Business Growth Act, which I introduced today.
  The unprecedented investment in American infrastructure over the next 
decade provides a major opportunity to strengthen our most underserved 
businesses and communities. Providing resources to help develop women-
owned, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses will uplift our 
entire economy, and it is how we truly build back better.
  Last year, President Biden set a goal of increasing the share of 
Federal contracts going to small, disadvantaged businesses by 50 
percent by 2025, which would translate to an additional $100 billion 
for these businesses.
  To help accomplish this ambitious goal, we should empower Federal, 
State, and local agencies to deliver resources to underserved 
businesses to help them become self-sufficient and grow.
  Established in 1970, the Federal Highway Administration's 
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Program already 
provides training, assistance, and services to minority- and women-
owned businesses to help them develop into self-sufficient 
organizations that viably compete for federally assisted highway 
project contracts. Unfortunately, Congress has not allowed this program 
to keep up with the needs of our underserved businesses.
  The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion 
Act would increase this program's annual funding cap for the first time 
in nearly 50 years from $10 million to $25 million. Additionally, the 
bill would create similar programs at the Federal Aviation 
Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.
  Local, regional, and State agencies have also been leaders in 
developing innovative programs to prioritize disadvantaged businesses, 
invest in efforts to create equitable competition, and promote diverse 
economic development initiatives.
  The Accelerating Small Business Growth Act would create a new grant 
program to help transportation agencies across our Nation carry out 
these innovative programs to help underserved businesses grow and 
achieve proficiency to compete, on an equal basis, for contracts and 
subcontracts in federally funded transportation projects. Agencies that 
receive funding through this grant program would be required to submit 
reports to the Department of Transportation evaluating the 
effectiveness of their activities, which would help inform future 
Federal procurement policymaking.
  I want to thank Representatives Pete Aguilar and Jimmy Gomez for co-
leading these bills with me, and I hope colleagues will join us in 
support of this legislation to minority-owned, women-owned, and 
disadvantaged businesses compete for contracts to develop and build 
Federal infrastructure projects funded by the bipartisan infrastructure 
law.

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