Fitzpatrick veterans amendment passes house

 By Crissa Shoemaker DeBree
Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 2:00 am

The House of Representatives approved a military construction spending bill Tuesday that included an amendment from Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, R-8, to support veteran-owned businesses.

The amendment to House Bill 2055 requires federal agencies to treat veteran-owned businesses the same way they treat women- and minority-owned businesses in contracting opportunities. That means, if an agency sets aside a portion of contracts for businesses owned by women or minorities, it must set aside the same amount for veterans.

“It has to give an equal preference to America’s veterans,” Fitzpatrick said. “It has to be on same level playing field.”

More than 2.4 million veterans own small businesses. At the same time, the unemployment rate for young veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was 21.9 percent last year.

“Even with their significant leadership skills, training, work ethic, many of them have been out of the private sector,” Fitzpatrick said. “After several deployments, it becomes difficult for them to reintegrate.”

Fitzpatrick said he plans to introduce amendments to future appropriations bills. In April, he introduced the Fairness to Veterans Act, which would give veterans preference for all federally funded contracts.