Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today to offer this amendment that will ensure a fair and open bidding process to supply our men and women on the front lines with one of the most indispensable pieces of equipment that they use every day--their boots.

My amendment would prohibit the use of funds by the Defense Logistics Agency to implement the 2012 Small Business Administration's rule in regard to footwear preventing the Defense Logistics Agency from bidding the contract as a small business set-aside.

When SBA released this rule, there was significant concern that they did not go through the normal rulemaking and public comment process, and more specifically did not perform due diligence on how the changes would actually affect the footwear industry and military supply base, which the SBA has acknowledged.

This rule dramatically changed the competitive landscape amongst companies supplying very compliant footwear to the U.S. military. There are very few of these manufacturers here in the United States, and even fewer that manufacture Berry Compliant footwear. This amendment would ensure that all businesses capable of supplying high-quality footwear to our warfighters are able to compete for that contract.

I might add, Mr. Chairman, that last year, we had been able to get language inserted in that would call for a study. I just wanted to have a quick quote from that on the impact of jobs. This is from the report that was issued:

Although the overall impact on the industrial base is low, the abrupt and drastic change in the small business size standards is likely to have an impact. The DOD footwear industry is highly capable, but also very dependent on DOD orders. It's important to consider both the short-term and long-term health of the industrial base.

The industry is also a critical element to the Nation's national security because of the enduring need to meet wartime footwear requirements.

The emphasis here is mine. Given the industry's sensitive and critical position, such abrupt and drastic policy changes that impact the competitive landscape should be executed with greater moderation.

I think, Mr. Chairman, that is the concern here today, and that is why I would urge my colleagues to support this vital amendment.

I do appreciate the opportunity for dialogue that I have been having with my colleague from Illinois and also with the Small Business Committee on that.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. Chairman, in closing, I do appreciate my colleague from Illinois and other members from the Small Business Committee who are committed to working at this.

The concern, again, would be one of our capacity and our industrial base and being able to supply that most vital of needs for our men and women in uniform, which is their footwear. When we talk about large, we talk about small at the same time because 400 is the number of west Michigan jobs that are in the balance here; but we wouldn't be able to reach the full capacity if we needed to surge again in a very unstable world, as we have been dealing with a number of crises around the world.

Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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