Nydia Velázquez

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, there is no question that small firms are facing the most dire consequences of a tight labor market. At a time when the economy is recovering and businesses are seeking to expand their operations, lack of access to a highly skilled workforce can be frustrating to business owners and harmful to their recovery. Maintaining economic competitiveness on the world stage means investing in our workforce, and nobody is better equipped to do that than the small businesses fueling our economic recovery. H.R. 7622 empowers SBDCs to expand workforce training resources to small employers struggling to find workers, which will, in turn, grow the skill sets of workers and the workforces of businesses. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7622, the Small Business Workforce Pipeline Act of 2022, introduced by Mr. Crow and cosponsored by Mr. Fitzgerald. H.R. 7622 allows small business development centers to disseminate information from the Department of Labor regarding job training programs like apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, as well as other work-based learning opportunities. Throughout the past year, small businesses have been hit hard by tightening labor markets, often struggling to compete with their larger counterparts. As the recovery continues, unemployment drops, and job openings grow to record heights, the smaller firms in our economy have found it harder than ever to recruit and retain qualified workers. One of the most effective workforce training methods used in the U.S. today is the registered apprenticeship program, an earn-while-you-learn system that combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training. According to the Department of Labor, the average starting salary for a graduate of an apprenticeship program is $72,000, and businesses retain these employees at a rate of 92 percent. Not only do apprenticeships provide a reliable pathway into the middle class for workers, but they also provide top-quality talent to the business that trained them. With assistance provided by the SBDC network, more small firms will have access to resources to attract and retain high-quality talent, helping them both establish and improve these programs for their businesses while providing training opportunities and job security to workers. I thank Mr. Crow for leading on this issue with a variety of hearings on the topic and for listening to witnesses as he worked to craft this legislation with Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Houlahan, and Mr. Garbarino. These bipartisan efforts will have a lasting impact on our Main Street firms. I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7664) to amend the Small Business Act to include requirements relating to graduates of career and technical education programs or programs of study for small business development centers and women's business centers, and for other purposes.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7664, the Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act of 2022, introduced by my colleague from Texas (Mr. Williams) and my colleague from Illinois (Ms. Newman). After seeing massive layoffs in response to the pandemic, businesses are starting to expand their operations and grow their workforce. Unfortunately, this has created one of the tightest labor markets in U.S. history, and small firms are feeling this acutely. Oftentimes, small businesses are not only faced with a shortage of applicants, but within that pool, they are seeing a shortage of applicants with the skill sets they need. One of the best strategies for equipping students with skills needed to enter a market is career and technical education, or CTE. Aimed at secondary and postsecondary students, these programs don't replace academic training but, rather, expand upon it to give young people practical skills they can use, whether they enter the workforce or continue in their studies. CTE programs can train students with a wide variety of skills in nearly every industry, and this program often works with local businesses to understand what skills are in demand to guide the curriculum. This legislation directs small business development centers and women's business centers to assist small businesses in hiring graduates of CTE programs while also helping program graduates start their own businesses. It takes a twofold approach of, one, creating a more adequate pipeline of trained young people for small businesses and, two, supporting those students who want to launch their own enterprise. SBDCs and WBCs can help fill the gap between training programs and small firms by building awareness and fostering relationships between the private sector and our educational community. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Williams and Ms. Newman for their meaningful work on this bill. I urge Members to support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, while our economy continues to recover and job openings increase, it is important that we ensure there is an adequate pipeline of skilled workers in our small firms. Fueling our economic recovery relies on them having the resources they need to thrive, including an adequate workforce. H.R. 7664 will go a long way in connecting small employers in need of workers to these programs and connect students to opportunities of launching their own firms. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Newman) for their hard work on this bill. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7670, the Women-Owned Small Business Program Transparency Act. The Women-Owned Small Business program levels the playing field for female entrepreneurs who compete for Federal contracts. Additionally, it assists agencies in meeting the goal of awarding 5 percent of all contracts to women-owned small businesses. While the program has steadily improved, it has faced its fair share of delays and challenges. For example, the program started operating 10 years after its enactment, and since its implementation 12 years ago, the 5 percent goal has only been met twice. The Small Business Administration implemented a formal certification process for the program in 2020, more than 5 years after being required to do so by Congress. As a result, while the agency is making great strides, it still has a substantial backlog of applications and the implementation of corresponding regulations--especially when it comes to program examinations--remains to be seen. The importance of the program to elevating women-owned small businesses in the Federal procurement arena makes it imperative to conduct oversight to ensure the program is meeting its legislative intent. H.R. 7670 will aid Congress in this endeavor by establishing reporting requirements to better assess the effectiveness of the program. In particular, H.R. 7670 requires the SBA to report on multiple facets of the Women-Owned Small Business program, including the amount of contracting dollars awarded through the program, the number of certifications issued, the amount of program examinations conducted, and much more. I thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney) for their bipartisan work on this bill. H.R. 7670 is a commonsense piece of legislation that will bring transparency and accountability to the Women-Owned Small Business program. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, long after the enactment of the legislation to create the Women-Owned Small Business Program, women still face inequities when it comes to Federal contracting. The Women-Owned Small Business Program tries to address these inequities. Today, we have the opportunity to further this mission through H.R. 7670. This bill creates a reporting requirement through which to measure whether the program is working as intended. I am certain that this oversight mechanism will lead to increased transparency, accountability, and efficiency to the benefit of our women-owned small business community. That is why I thank our committee members for their leadership in advancing this piece of legislation. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7694, the Strengthening Subcontracting for Small Businesses Act of 2022. Subcontracting plans are an important mechanism for small business utilization. In fact, for many small businesses, subcontracting plans represent the only way to participate in Federal contracts. That is why the Small Business Act requires contractors to have subcontracting plans in certain situations. For example, subcontracting plans are required for contracts that exceed certain thresholds, have subcontracting possibilities, and are awarded using negotiated procedures. While having these plans in place is an important first step, it will not make a difference if the prime does not implement them. The Small Business Act has a provision that allows agencies to subject prime contractors to liquidated damages if they do not employ good faith efforts to meet the subcontracting plans. However, the standard is ambiguous and not always enforced. As a result, primes often face no consequences for failing to meet their subcontracting plans. That is simply unacceptable. We must do more to ensure prime contractors comply with their subcontracting plans. This is precisely what H.R. 7694 does. It requires agencies to evaluate past performance in meeting subcontracting plans when considering offers for new contract awards. In other words, by making sure that previous compliance with these plans is taken into consideration when making new awards, it would encourage more compliance with subcontracting plans. I thank Representative Stauber and Representative Mfume for leading this effort, which represents an innovative solution to a longstanding problem. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I would just say thank you to both gentlemen, Mr. Stauber and Mr. Mfume, for their hard work, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 90th birthday of Ms. Virginia Kee, a dedicated public servant, longtime constituent, and a dear friend. She is widely recognized, respected and a pillar of strength in New York City's Chinatown community. I met Ms. Kee three decades ago when I first ran for office. She welcomed me and helped me better understand the social, immigration and small businesses needs of the community. I realized that Ms. Kee and I were more alike than different and for that reason I am always grateful for her friendship. As an Asian American woman, Virginia's experience with the systemic racism in her community helped forge her passion for social justice and strengthened her determination to break barriers. As a dedicated New York City public school teacher in the 1960's, Ms. Kee witnessed first- hand the poverty and disadvantages faced by Asian immigrant students and their families. She realized that the best weapon against poverty was education and she diligently worked to motivate students to learn and achieve. Virginia became actively engaged in the community after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. An act that overhauled the immigration system and lifted the longstanding policy of limiting immigration based on national origin. This new policy opened the door for Asian immigrants with families living in the United States. Ms. Kee was devoted to advancing the social and economic conditions of her community. As an advocate for children, she was instrumental in bringing the first Youth and Head Start Program to Chinatown in 1965. In addition, to address the growing needs of Chinatown's Asian American low-income and immigrant communities she became the founding member of the Chinese American Planning Council (CPC), one the largest and most comprehensive organizations serving low-income Asian American families in the Northeast. Today, decades later, CPC serves more than 60,000 families annually and continues to deliver cultural and holistic services to New York City's expanding Asian community. Ms. Kee remains an active member of the Board. Ms. Kee realized early that civic engagement and political participation were key to securing resources, making local decisions, and improving public services in her community. A pioneer both as a woman and an Asian American, she became one of the first Chinese Americans to be elected to party office in the Democratic Party. In 1980 she was a member of Governor James Hunt's Commission setting the rules for the Democratic Presidential Nominating Procedures. She fought for and achieved the inclusion of Asian American representation as delegates to the Democratic Party Presidential Convention. Her relentless efforts in community action have resulted in the empowerment of her community. In year 2000 she served as a member of the New York State Electoral College. She has been a strong voice for equitable representation by Asian Americans in all levels of government and voting rights in New York City. Over the years Virginia has received numerous awards. She was recognized by the National Conference of Christians and Jews as one of their Fifty Extraordinary Women. United Federation of Teachers presented her an award for community service. Her alma mater, Hunter College of the City of New York inducted her into their Hall of Fame. In the aftermath of Abner Louima, she provided leadership on the Taskforce on Police and Community. She was a Member of the New York City Human Rights Commission and a champion against hate crimes and civil rights violations. Ms. Virginia Kee's life, public service and love of her community is an example of a life well-lived serving others. Her poise, elegance and authenticity are admirable. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me today to honor and celebrate Ms. Virginia Kee's 90th Birthday.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4877) to amend the Small Business Act to require the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman to create a centralized website for compliance guides, and for other purposes.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6445) to amend the Small Business Act to require an annual report on entrepreneurial development programs, and for other purposes.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I thank all of our members for their tireless work on the bills before us today. As we head into National Small Business Week, the legislation we are passing today showcases the bipartisan nature of our committee and highlights how Congress supports the American entrepreneurial spirit. I rise today in support of H.R. 6445, the Small Business Development Center Improvement Act of 2022, introduced by Representative Golden from Maine and the late Representative Hagedorn from Minnesota. I will take a moment to remember the late Representative Hagedorn and his work as a member of the Small Business Committee. Before and throughout his illness, Mr. Hagedorn maintained his steadfast commitment to small businesses. My thoughts continue to be with Mr. Hagedorn's family, friends, and staff. Today's bill is a testament to his dedication to his community and small firms, and I am glad to honor his memory with this legislation. H.R. 6445 strengthens SBA's largest resource partner, the Small Business Development Center, or SBDC, network, by modernizing the program to meet the needs of today's small businesses and entrepreneurs. SBDCs deliver free face-to-face and virtual counseling and training in all aspects of business management to small business owners and entrepreneurs across the country. The services include: assisting entrepreneurs with developing a business plan, accessing capital, creating a marketing plan, procuring government contracts, strengthening cybersecurity protections, and entering into international trade. Through their network of 62 lead centers, managing nearly 1,000 outreach locations, SBDCs assist small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the country. SBDCs are a remarkable investment of taxpayer dollars with every Federal dollar spent on the SBDC program generating $1.99 in Federal revenue, a nearly 100 percent return on investment. To build on this success, H.R. 6445 increases the authorization level to $175 million for the next four fiscal years, allowing the program to grow and reach more of America's 30 million small firms. The bill also clarifies that SBDCs, and the SBA, may actively market their services. In the Small Business Committee, we often say that SBDCs are the best-kept small business secret. This bill will go a long way to ensuring more small employers and entrepreneurs are aware that free or low-cost counseling and training exists to help them on their path to success. I thank the sponsors for leading this effort to modernize and improve the SBDC program and its many valuable services. I urge Members to support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.