OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS ACT OF 2026

On 2026-06-23, Representative Johnny Olszewski, Jr. (D-MD-2) delivered a floor speech titled "OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS ACT OF 2026" in the House.

OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS ACT OF 2026

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4145-H4146] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS ACT OF 2026 Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8879) to amend the Small Business Act to require a report on small business concern participation in a covered contracting programs, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8879 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Oversight and Transparency for Small Business Certifications Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN PARTICIPATION IN A COVERED CONTRACTING PROGRAMS. Section 10(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 639(c)) is amended to read as follows: ``(c) Certification Reports.-- ``(1) In general.--Along with the submission to Congress of the budget of the President for each fiscal year pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, the Administrator shall submit a report on small business concern participation in a covered contracting program during the year covered by the report that includes the following: ``(A) The total number of unique small business concerns certified for participation in a covered contracting program. ``(B) With respect to applications of small business concerns for participation in a covered contracting program-- ``(i) the total number of applications for participation that have sufficient information for the Administrator to issue a certification determination, disaggregated by-- ``(I) the number of applications certified for each covered contracting program; and ``(II) the number of applications for which a determination has not been made for any covered contracting program; ``(ii) the number of applications for certification for two or more covered contracting programs and the percentage of total applicants that received two or more certifications; ``(iii) the number of applications received through the single, unified platform established by the Administrator for receipt of certification applications; and ``(iv) the number of small business concerns certified for participation in a covered contracting program for which such certification documentation is contain in a system other than the platform described in clause (iii), disaggregated by covered contracting program. ``(C) With respect to applications of small business concerns for certification as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans that have sufficient information for the Administrator to issue a certification determination-- ``(i) the number of applications certified; ``(ii) the number of applications denied; and ``(iii) the number of applications for which a determination has not been made. ``(D) With respect to each application of a small business concern for certification as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, the timeframe between the date of submission of a completed application and the issuance of a certification or recertification determination, disaggregated by-- ``(i) the number, expressed as a percentage, of certification determinations made within the timeframe established by the Administration; ``(ii) the average time for a first-time applicant to receive a certification determination; and ``(iii) the average time for an applicant that is a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans to receive a recertification determination. ``(E) With respect to applications of small business concerns for certification as a small business concern owned and controlled by women that have sufficient information for the Administrator to issue a certification determination-- ``(i) the number of applications certified; ``(ii) of the applications described in clause (i), the number certified that are eligible for award of a sole source contract under section 8(m)(7); ``(iii) the number of applications certified that were processed by a national certifying entity described in section 8(m)(2)(E); ``(iv) the number of applications denied; and ``(v) the number of applications for which a determination has not been made. ``(F) Of the applications described in subparagraph (E)(ii), the number of such applications that initially did not include sufficient information for the Administrator to issue a certification determination. ``(G) With respect to each application of a small business concern for certification as a small business concern owned and controlled by women, the timeframe between the date of submission of a completed application and the issuance of a certification or recertification determination, disaggregated by-- ``(i) the number, expressed as a percentage, of certification determinations made within [[Page H4146]] the timeframe established by the Administration; ``(ii) the average time for a first-time applicant to receive a certification determination; ``(iii) the average time for an applicant that is a small business concern owned and controlled by women to receive a recertification determination; and ``(iv) the average time for an applicant certified by a national certifying entity to receive a determination from the Administrator, disaggregated by initial certification applications and recertification applications. ``(H) With respect to applications of small business concerns for certification as a qualified HUBZone small business concern that have sufficient information for the Administrator to issue a certification determination-- ``(i) the number of applications certified; ``(ii) the number of applications denied; and ``(iii) the number of applications for which a determination has not been made. ``(I) With respect to each application of a small business concern for certification as a qualified HUBZone small business concern, the timeframe between the date of submission of a completed application and the issuance of a certification or recertification determination, disaggregated by-- ``(i) the number, expressed as a percentage, of certification determinations made within the timeframe established by the Administration; ``(ii) the average time for a first-time applicant to receive a certification determination; and ``(iii) the average time for an applicant that is a qualified HUBZone small business concern to receive a recertification determination. ``(2) Covered contracting program defined.--In this subsection, the term `covered contracting program' means contracting assistance provided by the Administrator under following: ``(A) Section 8(a). ``(B) Section 8(m). ``(C) Section 31. ``(D) Section 36.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Olszewski) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas. general leave Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas? There was no objection. Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8879, the Oversight and Transparency for Small Business Certifications Act of 2026, introduced by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Olszewski) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Wied). As the Trump administration continues its focus on government efficiency and eliminating fraud within Federal programs, Congress needs the information necessary to determine where these programs are succeeding and where they need improvement. SBA's small business contracting programs help connect eligible small businesses with Federal contracting opportunities. Programs such as the women-owned small business certification, the HUBZone program, and the service-disabled veteran-owned small business program help ensure that small businesses can compete for Federal contracts and grow their businesses. To effectively oversee these programs, Congress must have access to reliable data on how the certification process is performing. H.R. 8879 requires the SBA to submit annual reports to Congress on certification activities across the agency's small business contracting programs. The bill requires reporting on certifications granted and denied, application processing times, participation rates, recertification timelines, and the use of the SBA's certification platform. This information will provide greater transparency into program operations, strengthen congressional oversight, and help ensure that these programs continue to serve eligible small businesses efficiently and effectively. By improving accountability and providing Congress with better information, this legislation will help protect taxpayer resources while supporting small businesses seeking to compete in the Federal marketplace. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 8879, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Congress' ability to conduct effective oversight depends on regular access to information on the programs and authorities that SBA uses to assist small businesses. The committee has repeatedly experienced issues with SBA responses and reporting on the small business procurement programs, including the WOSB certifications, the 8(a) Business Development program, and the Unified Certification Platform. Currently, the SBA is not providing needed information, including regular reports and basic da

Referenced legislation: HR8879, HR8879