[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1073]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 SMALL BUSINESS MENTOR-PROTEGE PROGRAM

  (Ms. CHU asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. CHU. I hear over and over from small businesses that the one 
thing they need in these tough times is customers. And who is the 
biggest customer? The Federal Government. Each year, the government 
spends $500 billion on Federal contracts, but only 20 percent is going 
to small firms. Small businesses create two out of every three new 
jobs. So for us to grow the economy, we have to give small businesses a 
bigger slice of the Federal contracting pie.
  Today I am introducing the Building Better Business Partnerships Act. 
This bill will help small firms break into Federal contracting by 
making it easier for them to join mentor-protege programs. These 
programs partner small businesses with companies already contracting 
with government. It gives small firms a foot in the door so they can 
navigate the Federal process, get experience on a contract, and 
eventually win a Federal job of their own. And that means more work and 
a new customer for small businesses everywhere.

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