Plain Language in Contracting Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 787) to require plain language and the inclusion of key words in covered notices that are clear, concise, and accessible to small business concerns, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 787

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 ``Plain Language in Contracting Act''. SEC. 2. ACCESSIBILITY AND CLARITY IN COVERED NOTICES FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS.

(a) In General.--Each covered notice shall be written in a manner--

(1) such that a small business concern can easily understand the intent of the covered notice; and

(2) that--

(A) is clear, concise, and well-organized; and

(B) to the maximum extent practicable, follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field of the covered notice and the intended audience of the covered notice.

(b) Inclusion of Key Words in Covered Notices.--Each covered notice shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include key words in the description of the covered notice such that a small business concern seeking contract opportunities using the single, Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code, can easily identify and understand such covered notice.

(c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall issue rules to carry out this section.

(d) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) Covered notice.--The term ``covered notice'' means a notice pertaining to small business concerns published by a Federal agency on the single Government-wide point of entry described under section 1708 of title 41, United States Code.

(2) Small business act definitions.--The terms ``Federal agency'' and ``small business concern'' have the meanings given those terms, respectively, in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). SEC. 3. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 787, the Plain Language in Contracting Act, introduced by Representatives LaLota, Thanedar, and Tran.

The Plain Language in Contracting Act is a vital piece of legislation designed to limit the cumbersome language used in government contract solicitations. This will empower small businesses to have a greater ability to compete for valuable government contracts.

The number of small businesses contracting with the government has been shrinking for years, and over the past few years the Committee on Small Business has heard firsthand that excessive red tape and unclear government-speak have made working and contracting with the government more difficult and costly for small businesses.

Currently, government contract solicitations are written in an overly complex way that is difficult to navigate unless someone is an attorney or contract specialist. One study found that only 3 percent of government contracts are written in a way that someone without a college degree could understand.

Small businesses often lack the resources to hire an army of attorneys and contract specialists needed to fully understand these contracts, which creates difficulties in submitting successful bids. The wonky nature of this so-called government-speak has contributed to the shocking loss of small businesses in government contracting.

H.R. 787 will finally remove this unnecessary barrier facing small businesses by forcing the government to take commonsense action and write contract solicitations using simple, plain language.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 787, the Plain Language in Contracting Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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