Capturing All Small Businesses Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5130) to amend the Small Business Act to adjust the employment size standard requirements for determining whether a manufacturing concern is a small business concern, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5130

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Capturing All Small Businesses Act of 2019''. SEC. 2. EMPLOYMENT SIZE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

(a) In General.--Section 3(a)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and subject to the requirements specified under subparagraph (C)'' after ``paragraph (1)''; and

(2) in subparagraph (C)--

(A) by inserting ``(including the Administration when acting pursuant to subparagraph (A))'' after ``no Federal department or agency''; and

(B) in clause (ii)(I) by striking ``12 months'' and inserting ``24 months''.

(b) Effective Date.--This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5130, the Capturing All Small Businesses Act of 2019, which lengthens the employee-based calculation formula used to determine the size of a small business.

Let me begin by recognizing Congressman Veasey and commending him for his dedication to our small business community. Mr. Veasey is a valued member of the Small Business Committee, and I can attest to his unwavering commitment to America's 30 million small businesses.

H.R. 5130 is the result of those endeavors, and I am pleased that he worked closely with Congressman Hern to move this measure forward. I thank them both for their collaboration.

It is irrefutable that, as Federal contracts become larger in size and scope, one or two sizable contracts can force a small business out of the small business category prematurely. When this happens, small firms lose access to contracting set-asides and must compete against much larger firms without having built the capacity to do so. Many small businesses forced into this situation opt to restrain their growth or sell, rather than compete in an imbalanced marketplace.

We simply cannot let this happen. H.R. 5130 addresses this matter by doubling the employee-based calculation to 24 months instead of the 12- month standard currently being used.

Just like the Runway Extension Act, a companion bill we passed last year, H.R. 5130 helps us keep up with the current contracting trends by alleviating the effects of sudden growth caused by a sizable contract.

H.R. 5130 grants small firms with additional time to grow and mature. Furthermore, it provides parity between the benefits extended to those subject to the employee and the receipt-based size standards.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey), a valued member of the Small Business Committee and sponsor of the bill.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, supporting our small business community and ensuring that they are able to thrive is the top priority for me and the Small Business Committee that I chair.

H.R. 5130 supports the small business community by providing them with additional time to grow and mature.

By extending the lookback in the employee-based size standard, H.R. 5130 allows small firms an opportunity to gradually and successfully transition out of the small business category.

Most importantly, this bill ensures equal treatment of small business concerns by granting manufacturing firms the same benefits provided to concerns subject to the receipts-based formula.

I congratulate Mr. Veasey and Mr. Hern for bringing forward a commonsense and bipartisan solution.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5130, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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