Schneider Introduces Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Veteran Entrepreneurs

In advance of Veterans Day, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) introduced a resolution honoring the service of American's veterans and celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of veteran small business owners. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) co-led the bipartisan resolution. This continues Rep. Schneider's work to help veterans harness their experience in the Armed Forces towards starting their own small business.

"On Veterans Day and every day, it is important to remember our commitment to the men and women who have served our nation in uniform," said Schneider. "In Congress, I've focused on promoting opportunity for veterans when they return to civilian life through expansion of the GI Bill and support of the Boots to Business Initiative. Many of the leadership and other skills learned in the military translate well to entrepreneurship and the small business sector, and veterans are self-employed at a higher rate than civilians. I invite all Americans to join me this Veterans Day in recognizing the many veteran-owned businesses creating jobs and improving communities across the country."

Nearly 1 in 10 of all U.S. firms are veteran-owned. These 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses employ more than 5 million Americans and generate more than $195 billion in annual payroll and $1.1 trillion in annual sales.

The full resolution is available online.

RESOLUTION

Commemorating and acknowledging veteran-owned small businesses.

Whereas members and veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States develop a wide array of skills during their time of service that support entrepreneurship;

Whereas many veterans build on their experience in the Armed Forces to start their own business after leaving active service;

Whereas veterans form a vital part of the U.S. labor force, and firms that hire veterans benefit from their diverse set of skills;

Whereas more than one in five veterans surveyed have purchased a business, started their own business, or considered doing so;

Whereas there are more than 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses in the United States, representing more than 9 percent of all U.S. firms;

Whereas veteran-owned businesses employ more than 5 million people and generate an annual payroll of $195 billion;

Whereas veteran-owned businesses generate more than $1.14 trillion in annual sales;

Whereas the Small Business Administration, through its Boots to Business program, has trained more than 30,000 service members, veterans, and their spouses on launching their own small business;

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

1. honors and recognizes veterans for their service to the United States; and,

1. celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit and work of veteran small business owners.

Schneider Record on Veteran-owned Small Businesses:

Introduced Legislation to Protect Veteran Entrepreneurship Program. Schneider introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Rod Blum (R-IA) to statutorily authorize the Boots to Business (B2B) program that helps transitioning service members and veterans to start and grow businesses. H.R. 5193, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act, would codify the B2B program which offers transitioning service members, military spouses, and veterans a foundational two-day, in-person course for an introduction to business ownership which can be followed by optional online courses on topics including market research, business fundamentals, and revenue readiness.

Judiciary Committee Adopts Schneider Amendment on Veteran Entrepreneurship and Patent Protection. The House Judiciary Committee unanimously adopted an amendment offered by Schneider to help ensure veteran entrepreneurs' access to patent protections. The amendment adds veterans to a study by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to examine the participation of women and minorities in patent protections, and to provide recommendations on how to promote their entrepreneurship and participation in the patent system, and was included as part of H.R. 6758, the Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success (SUCCESS) Act, which passed out of committee.

Introduced Legislation to Protect Business Opportunities for Veterans. Schneider introduced bipartisan legislation with Reps. Trent Kelly (R-MS), Annie Kuster (D-NH), and Congressman Jack Bergman (R-MI) to prevent abuse in the federal set-aside opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses. H.R. 5494, the Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Adjustment Act of 2018 cracks down on "pass through" contracts violate the principle and rationale of these programs.