Iowa Senator Ernst Implements Stricter Measures Against ‘Stolen Valor’
Republican Senator Joni Ernst, along with other Republican senators, has introduced a provision in the Senate’s version of the defense spending bill aimed at cracking down on businesses that falsely claim to be veteran-owned. The provision states that small businesses that self-certify as service-disabled and veteran-owned cannot count towards the government’s goal of allocating 3% of contracting dollars to such businesses. The goal of the provision is to incentivize federal officials to award contracts to formally certified businesses and discourage stolen valor. Senator Ernst, the first female combat veteran to serve in the Senate, believes that service members possess the necessary skills and leadership abilities to become successful small-business owners after their military service. The provision has passed through the Senate with bipartisan support and will now undergo negotiations with the House before becoming law. The focus of the provision is the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program, which allows the government to limit competition for contracts to businesses owned by veterans with service-connected disabilities. Previously, businesses only needed to self-certify for contracts awarded by federal agencies other than the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Small Business Administration plans to review all self-certification programs and may sunset self-certification in five years.
