Nydia M. Velazquez: “In closing, last year, we saw the government achieve record high percentages of dollars awarded to small business.…”

“In closing, last year, we saw the government achieve record high percentages of dollars awarded to small business. Unfortunately, these numbers have been called into question due to allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse at the VA. Ultimately, we do not know the total value of small business contracts at the VA, but estimates suggest that small businesses lost out between $2.8 billion and $3.7 billion of contracts as a result of personnel using their purchase cards. If this is true, it is a failure not just of the VA, but of the procurement system more broadly. Time and time again, we are presented with similar allegations in which opportunities were improperly diverted away from those that they were intended to reach. Every time this happens, a deserving small business loses out on revenue that could help create jobs in local communities. The truth is that we need more oversight, and H.R. 4326 will provide it. Before I yield back, I want to thank Ms. Adams for her efforts and the efforts of all of the members of the committee to work in a bipartisan manner to help small businesses gain access to the Federal marketplace. I also would like to take this opportunity to thank Chairman Chabot for his leadership on these matters, as well as other legislation that has passed out of the committee.…”