Press Releases

Today, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisc.), the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the subcommittee’s joint oversight hearing with the House Committee on Small Business to discuss what more Congress can do to support and expand opportunities for veteran-owned business owners:

Thank you, Chairman LaLota. My colleagues from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and I are pleased to join you today to discuss this important topic.

I want to thank the Committee on Small Business for hosting us today. I have a saying on my Subcommittee that veterans’ issues are not “bipartisan” they are “nonpartisan.” I know you all agree with this sentiment with it comes to veterans’ issues.

Veterans have been the backbone of America’s economy for decades with many of the companies we use every day originating from an idea from a veteran.

However, the percentage of veteran-owned businesses in America has decreased from about 11% of all businesses in 2014 to just 5.2% in 2021. This downward trend concerns me, as I am sure it does all of you.

We in Congress must do better to ensure that veteran-owned businesses are able to remain competitive in this economy and have access to all the tools they need to take a risk and start a business, especially when veteran-owned businesses are contributing almost a trillion dollars to the economy, annually.

Veterans should not be left behind by the broader population when they have done so much to protect all of us.

The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity has worked hard to ensure veterans have the opportunities they deserve in education, career development, and housing.

Now we need to focus our efforts on ensuring that veterans can take full advantage of the programs that are available for starting and building a business.

I have made improving the transition program offered to servicemembers one of my top priorities this Congress. For transitioning veterans aspiring to own a business, the Boots to Business program has proven to be an invaluable pathway. However, I am concerned for the future of Boots to Business, as it is currently set to expire at the end of this Congress. I implore all my colleagues, regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on, to reauthorize this program and ensure our veterans have the knowledge and skillset to succeed as entrepreneurs upon departure from the service.

As a former small business owner myself, I understand the difficulties associated with starting and running a small business. I want to ensure that the TAP program is empowering veterans with the knowledge and tools they will need to make the decision that is best for them and succeed.

I also want to ensure that when they leave TAP, they are aware of other programs established to ensure their success, such as veteran mentoring and networking programs, SBA assistance programs, and state programs for veteran-owned small businesses.

Frequently, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hears about how the application to apply to be a Veteran-Owned Small Business, or Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business is filled with bureaucratic paperwork and overly complicated, and after three or four times attempting to fill out the application, veterans give up on becoming a federally recognized veteran-owned business.

During a Full Committee hearing last year, we also heard about the lack of opportunities in rural areas for veterans applying to be a VOSB or SDVOSB. It is difficult to get questions answered or fill out an application correctly when the nearest assistance available is over a hundred miles away. In today’s day and age, these government agencies must adapt to reach veterans, or anyone, wherever they are.

Finally, the federal government has worked hard to create specific programs to help certain individuals achieve the American dream for various reasons. Ensuring a veteran-owned business receives every advantage the Federal government can offer should be a priority for these programs since just one percent of the American populations serves in uniform.

These men and women should receive the same, if not better treatment when it comes to government contracting, tax breaks, and streamlining the application process.

I look forward to finding these solutions with my friend and colleague, Ranking Member Levin, as well as with my colleagues from the Small Business Committee.

I also want to hear from the witnesses today about how Congress can assist our veteran-owned small businesses. The best ideas from the government often originate in the private sector.

Thank you, Chairman LaLota. I yield back.