Congressman Fine Introduces Legislation to Help Veteran Small Business Owners

Washington, DC: Recently, Congressman Fine (FL-06) introduced the Contract Our Veterans Act of 2025, legislation aimed at establishing a federal contracting program for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and ensuring they receive the same level of preference as other designated small business categories. For more than thirty five years, the federal government has maintained annual goals for small business participation in federal contracting. Congress requires that small businesses can receive no less than 23% of the total value of all contracts for each fiscal year. Some of these small business types include, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses, and Service-Disabled Small Businesses. There are currently no government-wide procurement goals or preferences that exist for non-disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Congressman Fine’s legislation would place Veteran Owned Small Businesses on the same preference level as other small business categories by: Granting agencies authority to make sole-source contract awards to Veteran Owned Small Businesses. Creating contract set-asides, where competition is limited to Veteran Owned Small Businesses as long as the “Rule of Two” is met. Establishing a government-wide contracting target for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses of no less than 5% of total contract award dollars. “Our Veterans deserve to receive the same priority as other small business owners in the United States. My Contract Our Veterans Act of 2025 will allow Veteran Small Business Owners to be specifically eligible for certain contracts or set-aside opportunities. Let me be clear, the brave men and women who served our great country should be given the same economic opportunities as other designated small business groups. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill across the finish line.” - Congressman Randy Fine “Veterans have served our country with honor. The Contract Our Veterans Act gives them a fair shot to succeed by expanding DoD contracting opportunities for veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. This legislation is expected to create tens of thousands of new veteran-owned businesses, generate hundreds of thousands of jobs, and ensure veterans can continue serving our communities in meaningful ways.” - Congressman Derrick Van Orden Congressman Fine remains committed to working with members of both parties to bring this bill into fruition and ensure that the interests and economic opportunities of American Veterans are prioritized.