Sean Reyes: “I rise in support of H.R. 1460. The provisions of this legislation remove barriers to small business ownership for…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 1460. The provisions of this legislation remove barriers to small business ownership for veterans. H.R. 1460 allows veterans to use their education benefits to pay for non-degree or non-credit courses of entrepreneurship, enabling them to learn the skills that they will need when starting and running their own businesses. The bill additionally amends the Small Business Act to give small businesses owned by service disabled veterans the opportunity to secure sole source contracts from the Federal Government. By giving those participating in a veteran's rehabilitation program the chance to name self-employment as their vocational goal, H.R. 1460 makes entrepreneurship a viable career option for many for whom it was not before. The passage of this legislation would mean a lot for those veterans who, like so many other Americans, dream of working for themselves. The opportunities that H.R. 1460 provides for self-employment are especially meaningful when salaried jobs can be so difficult to find. Large numbers of veterans live in my home district of El Paso, Texas where we unfortunately also have a high unemployment rate. A community like mine is a prime example of why we must provide veterans with the tools they need to become successful entrepreneurs. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan legislation.”