# 116-hr-561: Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019

116-hr-561, Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] (R-MI); status Became Public Law No: 116-183. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-561
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-561
- Congress: 116
- Title: Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2019
- Status: Became Public Law No: 116-183.
- Introduced: 2019-01-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] (R-MI)
- Cosponsors: 20
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## 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 bill also specifies limitations for contracts for supplies from a regular dealer that have been granted a waiver from the requirement to supply the product of a domestic small business manufacturer or processor. 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.

## Cosponsors (20)

- Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] (D-NH), 2019-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2] (R-FL), 2019-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH), 2019-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12] (R-OH), 2019-07-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12] (R-IL), 2019-07-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1] (R-OH), 2019-07-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13] (R-IL), 2019-07-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Bill [R-OH-6] (R-OH), 2019-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] (R-FL), 2019-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Armstrong, Kelly [R-ND-At Large] (R-ND), 2019-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN), 2019-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3] (D-IA), 2019-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2019-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Zeldin, Lee M. [R-NY-1] (R-NY), 2019-08-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5] (R-WA), 2019-09-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Mike [R-LA-4] (R-LA), 2019-09-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2] (R-MI), 2019-09-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2019-11-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ), 2019-12-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Malinowski, Tom [D-NJ-7] (D-NJ), 2020-01-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-4305: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act
- 116-hr-3495: Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act
- 116-hr-2423: Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act
- 116-hr-748: CARES Act
- 116-hr-8662: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act
- 116-hr-1865: Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020

## Sources
- [116-hr-561 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/561)

## Related
- [116-hr-4305: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-4305)
- [116-hr-3495: Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-3495)
- [116-hr-2423: Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2423)
- [116-hr-748: CARES Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-748)
- [116-hr-8662: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8662)
- [116-hr-1865: Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-1865)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-561 (as of 2025-11-18).