Heller Announces Veterans Small Business Protection Act
(Washington, D.C.) – On the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) announced introduction of the Veterans Small Business Protection Act (S. 3405).
“Today I am proud to join with Senator Burr to introduce the Veterans Small Business Act, which simply ensures that surviving spouses and children are eligible for small business benefits.
“Congress has provided numerous benefits to our nation’s veterans who own a small business – sole source contracting, low interest loans, and other resources in order to help these small businesses grow and create jobs. However, should a spouse or a child of a veteran lose that loved in combat, they can no longer receive these benefits or enroll in these programs.
My legislation closes a large gap in federal law that does little for those who owned businesses before their activation and were killed in the line of duty. As a member of Congress, we must honor our nation’s fallen as well as ensuring that the loved ones they leave behind have the same economic opportunities as afforded to that veteran…”
Background
In December 2006, a law was passed that created additional benefits for surviving spouses who inherit service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. The intent of the law was to ensure that a business owned by a veteran that received contracts based on the service-disabled veteran-owned business status did not suffer because the veteran died. Unfortunately, this only took into account the veteran who returned disabled. No legislation was included that addressed service members who owned businesses that are killed in action.
The Veterans Small Business Protection Act:
- Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat any business left to a spouse or dependent by a member of the Armed Services killed in the line of duty as veteran owned business or a disabled veteran owned business for purposes of benefit eligibility.
- Ensures that surviving spouses of service members that owned a small business and were killed in action are considered for government contracts.
The American Legion has endorsed Heller’s Veterans Small Business Protection Act.
Click here for a PDF copy of the bill.
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