Recently, Michele Bachmann was a guest speaker at an I-94 Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The purpose of the speech was to discuss "the impact of government policies on small businesses". Yet, when it came time to help the small businesses she purports to support, Michele once again joined the minority not only in the House of Representatives as a whole but also in her very own party. The Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act (HR 3867) gives certain benefits to DISABLED VETERANS and WOMEN who own small businesses across the country.
Excerpts of this "egregious" legislation:
SEC. 104. PRIORITY FOR SEVERELY DISABLED VETERANS.
In developing regulations to implement section 101, the Administrator shall give a priority to those certified service-disabled veterans that are severely disabled.
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF GOALS.
(a) Establishment of Government-Wide Goals- Section 15(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)) is amended by striking the first sentence and inserting `The President shall annually establish Government-wide goals for procurement contracts awarded to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, small business concerns participating in the program established by section 8(a), and small business concerns owned and controlled by women.'.
SEC. 206. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACT AWARDS TO CONTRACTORS IN VIOLATION OF IMMIGRATION LAWS.
Any employer found, based on a determination by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to have engaged in a pattern or practice of hiring, recruiting or referring for a fee, for employment in the United States an alien knowing the person is an unauthorized alien shall be subject to debarment from the receipt of future Federal contracts under this Act.
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF GOALS.
(a) Establishment of Government-Wide Goals- Section 15(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)) is amended by striking the first sentence and inserting `The President shall annually establish Government-wide goals for procurement contracts awarded to small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, small business concerns participating in the program established by section 8(a), and small business concerns owned and controlled by women.'.
SEC. 206. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACT AWARDS TO CONTRACTORS IN VIOLATION OF IMMIGRATION LAWS.
Any employer found, based on a determination by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to have engaged in a pattern or practice of hiring, recruiting or referring for a fee, for employment in the United States an alien knowing the person is an unauthorized alien shall be subject to debarment from the receipt of future Federal contracts under this Act.
The hypocrisy meter has to register pretty high on this vote given that the speech she made occurred only days earlier. Also, the double whammy being that she is voting against a bill to allow disabled veterans (You remember, the ones she claims she supports!) to get contracts easier than non-veterans. Interestingly, Michele took another photo at the luncheon (you think she would have learned after the Clearwater Photo-Op disaster).
You may notice that of the presumably 23 business owners pictured there are at least 7 women (30% of the room). What does that have to do with anything? Well, given that this bill also gives women owned small businesses a leg up in getting government contracts. So, how many of these women LOSE because of our very own anti-vet/anti-woman/anti-small business representative?
