WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed five small business bills under suspension favorably out of the chamber.

H.R. 3511, the Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act – sponsored by Reps. LaLota (NY-01), McGarvey (KY-03), Lee (NV-03), Thanedar (MI-13), and Lawler (NY-17).

•  Federal agencies have a goal of spending five percent of all contracting dollars with small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. This bill requires the Small Business Administration to help failing agencies improve their inclusion of service-disabled veteran owned small businesses.

H.R. 4669, the DOE and SBA Research Act – sponsored by Reps. LaLota (NY-01) and Thanedar (MI-13).

• This bill requires the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration to enter into an agreement to collaborate on research and development activities.

H.R. 5265, the Small Business Administration Rural Performance Report Act – sponsored by Reps. Alford (MO-04), Luetkemeyer (MO-03), Ellzey (TX-06), Bean (FL-04), Stauber (MN-08), and Pappas (NH-01).

•  This bill requires the Small Business Administration to report on its efforts – specifically within the Office of Rural Affairs – to promote businesses and agricultural economies in rural areas.

H.R. 6591, the Encouraging Success Act – sponsored by Reps. Ellzey (TX-06), Moran (TX-01), and Thanedar (MI-13).

•  This bill requires the Small Business Administration to reassess the 8(a) program threshold cap every four years to ensure that it is in line with market realities.

H.R. 7105, the WOSB Certification and Opportunity Expansion Act– sponsored by Reps. Velazquez (NY-07) and LaLota (NY-01).

• This bill requires that only women-owned small businesses that have been certified by a federal agency, state government, or national certifying entity approved by the Small Business Administration are included when calculating whether a federal agency has met its contracting goals with respect to such businesses during a fiscal year.

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