Rep. Stauber's small-business bill gets House approval

GOP Rep. Pete Stauber's bill to aid small businesses in the orbit of federal contracts and subcontracting quietly sailed through the U.S. House last month with wide bipartisan support.

The legislation, known as the Strengthening Subcontracting for Small Businesses Act, was introduced by Stauber in May and passed the House roughly a month later in a 411-11 vote.

"You don't get much [more] bipartisan than that," Stauber said of the vote.

The bill's House passage represented a low-key moment of success for the second term Minnesota Republican, given Democrats' control of the House and Senate, as he looks to win a third term in this fall's midterm elections. The legislation has been sent over to the Senate, where it hasn't gotten a vote.

While the text of the bill is relatively short, Stauber said "it's going to make real and significant impacts on small businesses that are looking for those opportunities in the federal procurement marketplace."

Stauber, who serves on the House Small Business Committee, said the measure would "help small businesses by increasing their access to federal contracts."

The bill is also being touted by Maryland Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume, vice chair of the House panel. His office said in a news release the legislation makes it necessary for "federal agencies to consider past treatment of small business subcontractors by large prime contractors when determining whether to award future contracts to those prime contractors."

Stauber also noted the bill's timing, when inflation continues to be a major concern for small businesses and consumers alike.

"It represents an opportunity for small business," Stauber said of the bill. "And it shows the American people that there's a lot of bipartisan work that can be done in our nation's capital."

Two Democrats have filed to run against Stauber in this year's midterm cycle including DFL state Rep. Jen Schultz, who has the party endorsement.

"I support this minor change to the Small Business Act, which was recommended by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, but it's embarrassing that my opponent touts this as a major legislative accomplishment over the last two terms," Schultz said in an e-mail.