H.R. 561: Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-15 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Became Public Law No: 116-183.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 116-183. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019

Plain summary

Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019 This bill applies certain small business subcontracting limitations to contracts that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awards to a small business concern owned and controlled by a veteran or a veteran with a service-connected disability. The VA may award such a contract only after obtaining a certification from the offeror that it will comply with such subcontracting limitations if awarded the contract. Such certification shall specify the applicable performance requirements and explicitly acknowledge that the certification is subject to criminal penalties for making false statements in any matter within the jurisdiction of the U.S. government. The VA Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the VA Chief Acquisition Officer shall jointly monitor compliance and refer any violation or suspected violation to the VA Inspector General. If the VA determines that a contract recipient did not act in good faith, such recipient shall be subject to any or all of the following: (1) referral to the VA Debarment and Suspension Committee, (2) a criminal fine, and (3) criminal prosecution. The Inspector General shall report on (1) the number of referred violations and suspected violations; and (2) the disposition of such violations, including the number of small business concerns suspended or debarred from federal contracting or referred for Department of Justice prosecution.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] · 20 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 561, Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019 (2019-10-28)

Cosponsors on this site

Neal P. Dunn (R-FL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Mike Bost (R-IL), W. Gregory Steube (R-FL), Jim Banks (R-IN), Mike Johnson (R-LA), John R. Moolenaar (R-MI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] reported raising $2.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr561.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr561 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116