Congressman Roger Williams Leads Committee Markup with Passage of Nine Small Business Bills
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX), who serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, successfully led a full Committee markup where all nine bills considered were passed by the Committee. This significant achievement underscores the Committee’s commitment to producing commonsense, bipartisan legislation that addresses the various needs of Main Street and holds federal agencies accountable to the people.
Speaking after the markup, Chairman Williams emphasized the importance of collaboration in creating new ideas that aim to improve the lives of small business owners. “Today’s markup shows that this Committee is committed to producing commonsense, bipartisan legislation,” said Chairman Williams. “The nine bills we marked up and reported favorably out of the Committee address the various needs of Main Street, hold our agencies accountable to the people, and seek to recoup stolen pandemic loan funds. This Committee will proudly continue to collaborate on new ideas with the goal of making life easier and better for Main Street.”
The bills, all of which were adopted and reported favorably to the House, cover a wide range of topics including enhancing competition in contracting, encouraging success for small businesses, empowering Native American entrepreneurs, and improving opportunities for women-owned small businesses. The historic passage of these bills reflects the ongoing dedication of the Committee to supporting the small business community.
Among the bills passed were H.R. 5450, The “Enhancing Competition in Contracting Orders Act” introduced by Reps. Scholten and Salazar, which clarifies the HUBZone price preference of up to 10%; H.R. 6591, The “Encouraging Success Act” introduced by Rep. Ellzey, which amends section 8(a)(6) of the Small Business Act to revise the asset threshold for the 8(a) program; and H.R. 7102, The “Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act” introduced by Reps. Davids and Crane, which codifies the Office of Native American Affairs within the Small Business Administration.
Other momentous bills include H.R. 7103, The “Agency Accountability Act of 2023” introduced by Rep. Stauber, which requires federal agencies to testify to Congress if they receive below an “A” on the SBA’s annual procurement scorecard; H.R. 6156, The “Child Care Small Business Insight and Improvement Act of 2023” introduced by Reps. Landsman, Meuser, and Molinaro, which requires the SBA to conduct a study on the needs and challenges of for-profit childcare providers; and H.R. 7104, The “National SBDC Advisory Board Improvement Act” introduced by Rep. Mann, which mandates the National SBDC Advisory Board to provide an annual report to Congress on any recommendations for improving the Small Business Development Center program.
The success of these bills not only showcases the Committee’s commitment to supporting small business growth and development, but also underscores the bipartisan cooperation necessary to enact meaningful legislative change.
Additionally, H.R. 7105, The “WOSB Certification and Opportunity Expansion Act” introduced by Reps. Velazquez and LaLota, which removes self-certified women-owned small business firms from inclusion in the SBA small business contracting scorecard; H.R. 7128, The “WOSB Integrity Act of 2024” introduced by Rep. Maloy, which ensures that the SBA develops processes to allow WOSBs to verify their size directly with the agency; and H.R. 7129, The “Put America on Commission Act of 2024” introduced by Rep. Williams, which establishes an Office of Whistleblower Awards within the SBA and incentivizes the public to come forward with tips on credible pandemic loan fraud in exchange for monetary awards, all contribute to the ongoing efforts to enhance small business opportunities and protections.
In conclusion, the historic passage of these nine bills reflects a vital step forward in supporting small businesses and ensuring their continued success in the American economy. The Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Williams, remains dedicated to championing the needs of Main Street and facilitating an environment conducive to small business prosperity. This accomplishment serves as a testament to the productive collaboration and bipartisan efforts that drive positive change and progress in the small business community.
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