Last week, our U.S. Representative, Democrat Val Hoyle, joined Oregon Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to introduce the Veterans Affairs Opportunity for Women-Owned Small Businesses Act. The title is a mouth-full, but it does some good things for women-owned small businesses.
The bipartisan legislation would improve federal contracting opportunities for the women-owned businesses in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Vets First Contracting Program. And, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Vietnam Veterans of America have endorsed the bill.
“I’m honored to lead this commonsense, bipartisan bill with Congresswoman Hoyle, which would help empower women-owned small businesses by providing them with more VA contracting opportunities,” Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer said. “Women entrepreneurs fuel economic growth and success in our communities, and I’ll keep doing my part to support their hard work.”
“Small businesses are the cornerstone of Oregon’s economy, and women-owned business are key to our state’s success. When I learned that women-owned small businesses do not have the same designation for VA contracts as they do with all other federal agencies, I wanted to act,” said Representative Val Hoyle. “This legislation will benefit businesses in Oregon and support our local economies.”
Currently, women-owned small businesses do not have the same designation for VA contracts as they do with all other federal agencies. Under Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Women-Owned Small Business Program, the federal government supports these underrepresented businesses by awarding them at least five percent of contracting budgets. This legislation would add the Women-Owned Small Business Program to the third tier of the Vets First Contracting Program. Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small businesses represent the first two tiers.
U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are original cosponsors of the bill. Last year, Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced an identical bill (S. 2873) in the Senate.
To assist the VA in serving our nation’s veterans, the VA acquires products and services from businesses around the country for their nationwide system of hospitals, clinics, Veterans Integrated Service Networks, data processing centers and National Cemeteries. In Oregon, there are 33 VA facilities, which include health care clinics.
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