[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 73 (Monday, April 29, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2642-H2643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2024

  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 7103) to amend the Small Business Act to require 
Federal agencies to testify and report on scores received under the 
scorecard program for evaluating Federal agency compliance with small 
business contracting goals, to testify for failure to meet 
Governmentwide contracting goals, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7103

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Agency Accountability Act of 
     2024''.

     SEC. 2. FEDERAL AGENCY TESTIMONY ON SCORECARD SCORES AND 
                   FAILURE TO ACHIEVE CERTAIN GOALS.

       Section 15(g)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     644(g)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G) Testimony required.--The head of the office 
     established in a Federal agency under subsection (k) shall 
     testify before the Committee on Small Business and 
     Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives under the following 
     circumstances:
       ``(i) If such agency fails to receive a score equivalent to 
     a letter grade of `A' or above on the scorecard established 
     under subsection (y) for a fiscal year, on the reasons for 
     such failure.
       ``(ii) If such agency fails to meet two or more of the 
     Governmentwide goals established under paragraph (1)(A), on 
     the reasons for such failure,''.

     SEC. 3. FEDERAL AGENCY REPORTING ON SCORECARD SCORES.

       Section 15(h)(1)(D) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     644(h)(1)(D)) is amended by inserting ``and to improve the 
     score on the scorecard established under subsection (y)'' 
     after ``better meet such goals''.

     SEC. 4. COMPLIANCE WITH CUTGO.

       No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7103, the Agency 
Accountability Act of 2024, introduced by Representatives Stauber and 
McGarvey. H.R. 7103 holds Federal agencies accountable for failing 
America's small businesses.
  The Federal Government is one of the largest customers in the world. 
In order to ensure small businesses are able to access this vital 
customer, President Ronald Reagan signed into law a goal for Federal 
agencies to award a certain percentage of government contracts to small 
businesses. Not only has this opened the Federal marketplace to small 
businesses, it also ensures a strong and resilient industrial base in 
America.
  Unfortunately, not every Federal agency is meeting the commitment to 
contract with the little guys. Worse than that, when an agency misses 
its small business contracting goals, they face no consequences.
  The Agency Accountability Act will help solve these issues. This bill 
will force agencies to testify to Congress and explain why they aren't 
meeting their small business goals and what they will do to rectify 
these issues.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for H.R. 7103, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Stauber and Mr. McGarvey, for 
their work to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor today.
  In an effort to ensure that small firms can participate in the 
Federal marketplace on a level playing field, Congress sets a goal for 
Federal agencies of annually awarding at least 23 percent of prime 
contracting dollars to small businesses. These goals have helped 
millions of small businesses compete and have helped the government 
leverage their creativity and innovation.
  Many Federal agencies regularly meet or even exceed their individual 
goals, but some do not, and they are not formally penalized for this 
failure. This legislation would apply additional pressure to Federal 
agencies to meet their small business goals by requiring them to 
testify before us when they fail. It is a productive step that will add 
additional congressional oversight to maximize contracting 
opportunities for small government contractors.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of the Agency 
Accountability Act. I will start by thanking the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey) for his support with this legislation.
  I can think of no better way to start off National Small Business 
Week than by passing legislation to ensure the Federal contracting 
system has a fair playing field for even the smallest of our 
businesses.
  Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They are the 
innovators, the job creators, and the driving force behind economic 
growth. In Minnesota, small businesses account for over 99 percent of 
all businesses and employ over half of the workforce.
  The very least that we can do is to ensure that small businesses have 
every opportunity to contract with the largest purchaser of goods and 
services in the world, the Federal Government.
  Right now, Federal agencies set goals for awarding contracts to small 
businesses, but meeting those goals is often treated like a suggestion 
and not a requirement. The result? Too many agencies fall short, 
leaving billions of dollars out of reach of American small business 
owners.
  My bill, the Agency Accountability Act, changes the game. It shines a 
spotlight on agency performance by requiring public testimony for 
failures. Agency heads will answer directly to Congress for missing 
goals, explaining why they haven't prioritized small businesses and 
what they will do to fix it.
  This isn't just about finger-pointing. It is about finding solutions. 
Public

[[Page H2643]]

scrutiny, paired with mandated reporting on scoreboard performance, 
will expose systemic roadblocks and identify best practices.
  Our small businesses are more than just economic engines. They are 
the embodiment of the American spirit, equipped with creativity, 
resilience, and a fierce determination to succeed. This bill gives them 
a fighting chance, a seat at the table, and the opportunity to prove 
themselves on the national stage.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Agency 
Accountability Act.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey), the ranking member of the 
Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Subcommittee.
  Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Agency 
Accountability Act. I thank Chairman Williams, Ranking Member 
Velazquez, and my colleague from Minnesota, Representative Stauber, for 
bringing this important bill forward and getting it to the floor.
  As Representative Stauber said, small businesses are the backbone of 
the American economy. They are what keep things moving. In Louisville, 
our small businesses are so special. We have a saying in our small 
business community that says ``Keep Louisville Weird,'' meaning make 
sure our small businesses are here and they are thriving.

  One of the reasons I enjoy being on the Small Business Committee is 
we get together every week, and we talk about what small businesses 
need and how we can make sure we are helping foster the growth and 
entrepreneurship that keep America's small businesses moving forward.
  When you look at what small businesses need, however, they need a 
fair shot, among other things. The Federal Government is the largest 
purchaser of goods and services around the world, so we have recognized 
that the Federal Government must engage in purchasing things from our 
small businesses.
  Representative Stauber, a former hockey player, knows a rule isn't 
any good unless it is enforced. With the Federal Government having a 
quota, what happens if it doesn't meet it? This bill answers that 
question, and it says that we must hold failing agencies accountable, 
that if they aren't meeting their quota of purchasing from small 
businesses, that they are going to have to come before the House and 
the Senate and testify as to why.
  I am proud to support this bill because it makes sure that we are 
continuing to support our small businesses all over this country, and I 
am proud to be a cosponsor of the Agency Accountability Act.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.
  Mr. Speaker, I emphasize that this bill specifies that agencies that 
have not met two or more of their subcategory goals must also testify 
before our committee.
  Each of the categories, including and especially the WOSB program, 
continue to need additional focus to ensure that the government's 
acquisition professionals are maximizing contracting opportunities for 
those small businesses.
  Again, I thank the sponsors of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time to close.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation that 
will ensure small businesses have access to one of the largest 
customers in the world, the Federal Government. I thank Congressmen 
Stauber and McGarvey for working on this legislation that will help our 
government meet its contracting objectives.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7103.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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