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Bill increases disabled veteran business access to federal contracts

A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to expand the federal government's disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) program to include small businesses owned by disabled veterans.

If approved, disabled veteran business enterprises (DVBEs) will be eligible to compete for the 10 percent of federal transportation spending that is set-aside for firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

"Rebuilding our nation's transportation infrastructure is essential to growing our economy and creating jobs," said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL), who introduced the legislation with Representatives Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Don Young (R-AK). "The veterans who served us so honorably deserve our full support and that starts with making sure they have good-paying jobs here at home. Not only will this bipartisan effort help get veterans back to work, but it will also help rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges, tunnels, and rail lines."

According to the bill's sponsors, there are over 380,000 construction firms in the U.S. that are owned and operated by veterans.

Veterans groups have voiced support for the legislation.

"The 2015 Fairness to Veterans for Infrastructure Investment Act is a bipartisan, common sense, and 'no cost to the tax-payer' update of existing legislation, that redresses the exclusion of veteran small businesses when the framework of the DBE program was originally drafted," said Joe Sharpe, director of The American Legion’s Veterans Employment & Education Division.