Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, thanks to this administration's bad policies, small businesses are struggling with skyrocketing inflation, record-high gas prices, and supply chain and labor crises. It is imperative that Congress help our small businesses find success despite this economic landscape. One way we can do this is by improving the Federal contract marketplace. A common theme we have heard in the contracting space is that prime contracting opportunities for small businesses are dwindling at an alarming rate. This means that subcontracting opportunities are more important than ever for our small businesses. While large prime contractors are statutorily required to have subcontracting plans, there is little incentive for prime contractors to comply with their own goals. Further, there is no requirement that a contracting officer take into consideration a contractor's past performance in subcontracting with small businesses when deliberating new awards. While it is laudable that prime contractors have subcontracting plans, these plans seem to have minimal influence on a contractor's motivation to award work to small businesses. This bill, the Strengthening Subcontracting for Small Businesses Act, addresses this problem in a few ways: First, the legislation will require the consideration of a contractor's proposed utilization of small businesses in its subcontracting plans.…”