Date: 2011-05-25
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I thank you very much. I see my good friend from Pennsylvania is on his feet. and I know that he is going to help me help small businesses because that is the simplicity of this amendment. It is simple. It is engaging. embracing. It is recognizing that all of us have our good neighbors back in our district. It is also an affirmation of the importance of the work of the United States military. and the many. many small businesses who desire to be of service. And so this amendment is simply informational. but it has a basis in success. outreach. to make sure that our small businesses around the Nation have a sense of what available opportunities are there for them. It calls for renewed vigor in advocating and constructing effective policies that will make the United States the most talented. diverse. effective. and powerful workforce in the increasingly globalized economy. We also realize. and I always say to my small businesses that they are the job creators of the 21st Century. and they do so in conjunction with the United States military. It may be janitorial services. painting buildings. mowing lawns. and related activities. Our small businesses can do that. So this amendment simply asks the Department of Defense. as it outsources its work. to make sure that it reaches out to the small business community so that they will be. if I might use the vernacular. in the mix. They will have the understanding and the opportunity to get jobs. to get business based on their qualifications and based upon their ability to do work. In addition. might I say that many of us have come across situations where our base leadership is trying to be fiscally responsible and has taken in business that they had heretofore outsourced. My point is that it is important to assess that impact on small businesses. I heard a discussion earlier on the floor that we want to equalize the playing field for our small businesses. We know that the larger companies. they have got the roadmap. This is simply an opportunity to say to Americans. all of you are taxpayers. all of you have the opportunity to do something for the United States military. and that may be using your talents as a small business to have the opportunity. Lets outreach so they have the information. Lets make sure that we are engaged. Lets make sure that we create jobs. Mr. Chair. I rise today in support of my amendment #31 to H.R. 1540. "National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2011 ." which requires the Secretary of Defense to utilize an outreach program to attract small and minority owned businesses prior to the outsourcing of military contracts related to local military bases. Throughout my tenure in Congress. I have sponsored legislation that promotes diversity. I stand proudly before you today to call for renewed vigor in advocating and constructing effective policies that will make the United States the most talented. diverse. effective. and powerful workforce in an increasingly globalized economy. This amendment will require the Department of Defense to consider the impact that changes to current outsourcing guidelines will have on small minority and women owned business by requiring them to engage with these businesses. Promoting diversity is more than just an idea it requires an understanding that there is a need to have a process that will ensure the inclusion of minorities and women in all areas of American life. As a practical matter the Department of Defense has the discretion to choose whether a contract should be insourced or outsource. Since March of 2009 it is understood that certain federal contracts that were formerly completed by civilian employees would be returned to federal employees. It is important to find balance between contracts that should be conducted by the federal government versus civilian contractors. As it stands the policies implemented by the DOD has the unintended consequence of harming small minority and women owned businesses by taking away civilian contracts that are not inherently serving a federal government purpose such as janitorial services. painting building. mowing lawns and related activities. These service contracts which tend to be the bread and butter for minority and women owned business are slowly being withdrawn and returned to the federal government.