Veterans Small Business and Memorial Affairs Act of 2006

VETERANS SMALL BUSINESS AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - July 24, 2006)

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Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3082, the Veterans Small Business and Memorial Affairs Act of 2006. I would also like to commend my good friend from my home state of Arkansas, Mr. BOOZMAN, for his leadership on this important and timely topic.

The Small Business Association believes that approximately 4 million small businesses in the United States are owned by veterans. Many of the 4 million veteran owned businesses are owned by veterans that were permanently disabled while serving this country. This legislation makes a step toward paying our debt to America's veterans by ensuring that veterans are not overlooked by the Small Business Administration. H.R. 3082 requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish annual contracting goals for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into with small businesses owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans. The goal for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses would not be less than three percent.

Additionally, H.R. 3082 makes strides toward ensuing that our veterans receive important employment training services to meet the needs of our increasingly technologically driven economy. I am a strong believer in the utility of employment training and will continue to work in the Committee on Education and the Workforce to expand employment training so that we remain competitive in the 21st century. I hope that the efficacy of vocational training will once again be demonstrated by this program and that this body will invest sufficiently in employment training programs. Improved job skills make a real difference for both workers and our economy.

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