On the recordFebruary 4, 2010
as ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I rise today, along with Senator Landrieu, to introduce the Small Business Contracting Revitalization Act of 2010. This critical piece of legislation is the direct result of consensus-building and compromise, and continues the bipartisan tradition of the Small Business Committee. I also wish to thank Chair Landrieu for her partnership with me in forging this truly crucial measure as we work toward contracting parity for small business, and for her tireless leadership on all concerns confronting small businesses today. The Small Business Contracting Revitalization Act of 2010 retains critical procurement provisions that originate in the comprehensive contracting bills I introduced or cosponsored in the 109th and 110th Congresses which were unanimously voted out of the Small Business Committee. This particular legislation will serve to minimize the use of contract bundling and consolidation of contracts by the Federal Government, and increase the ability of small businesses to fairly compete for such contracts through a host of key improvements, including allowing small businesses to join together in teams to bid on certain procurement opportunities. Additional requirements will help to ensure prompt payment from prime contractors to subcontractors, and make it easier for the Federal Government to prosecute businesses who fraudulently identify themselves as small companies.
