Mike Thompson: “I yield myself such time as I may consume. My amendment will help small businesses that have the proper security…”

“I yield myself such time as I may consume. My amendment will help small businesses that have the proper security clearances to better navigate the intelligence community's contracting process, and will ensure that they get a fair shot at business opportunities should these companies have the technical expertise and capabilities needed. This change will be good for small businesses and will strengthen our national security. Second- and third-tier contractors produce highly specialized technology for the intelligence community, but work directly for larger companies. These small businesses have extraordinary talent and expertise, but often find themselves excluded from many business opportunities with the larger intelligence community because, for example, they lack access to the classified databases where these opportunities are presented. Sometimes that access is as simple as a computer connection for cleared experts to review contracting opportunities. By limiting small businesses that have the appropriate security clearances from these contracting opportunities, we all lose. The intelligence community loses access to the best technical solutions by limiting who is able to fulfill or to even bid for those contracts. Small businesses lose the opportunity to display their expertise and to expand their companies.…”