Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
WOSB Certification Expansion and Opportunity Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The WOSB Certification Expansion and Opportunity Act aims to establish new requirements for the certification of small businesses owned and controlled by women. It changes how these businesses are counted toward government-wide and agency-specific goals by requiring official certification. Under the new rules, only businesses certified under specific sections of the Small Business Act will be included in those calculations. The bill also includes provisions to deem certain self-certified businesses as certified temporarily while applications are pending. Additionally, it mandates quarterly briefings to Congress regarding the implementation and costs of these new requirements.
Yes
- Scored +3
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Mandates quarterly briefings to Congress, increasing transparency in the certification process.
- Scored +2
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill increases federal oversight and requirements for small business certification.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -3
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The mandate for official certification may create administrative burdens and exclude self-certified businesses from federal goals.
- Scored -2
Would business owners be better off under this?
Small business owners face new certification requirements and potential exclusion from government goals.
- Scored -2
Would women be better off under this?
Women-owned businesses may face more hurdles to be counted toward federal goals due to certification requirements.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Temporary recognition for pending applications: Under Section 2(b)(1)(A), certain self-certified small businesses that have filed applications will be deemed certified for the purposes of calculating goals until a determination is made. This ensures these businesses are still counted toward goals while waiting for their official status.
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Increased transparency through reporting: Section 2(c) requires the Administrator to provide quarterly briefings to Congressional committees. These briefings include data on the number of applicants, processing timelines, and administrative costs, which provides oversight on how the certification process is functioning.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Exclusion from government goals: Section 2(a)(1) amends the Small Business Act so that only women-owned small businesses that have been officially certified will be included in the calculation of governmentwide and agency goals. This means self-certified businesses will no longer count toward those established goals.
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Increased administrative requirements: Section 2(c) requires the Administrator to track and report on specific details such as application numbers, timelines, and administrative costs. This indicates a shift in how the administration must handle and report on these certification processes.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Mandates quarterly briefings to Congress, increasing transparency in the certification process. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight and requirements for small business certification.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Small business owners face new certification requirements and potential exclusion from government goals. Would women be better off under this? — Women-owned businesses may face more hurdles to be counted toward federal goals due to certification requirements.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The mandate for official certification may create administrative burdens and exclude self-certified businesses from federal goals.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — By excluding self-certified businesses from government goals, it may reduce the visible impact of women-owned business support.
- 2/25/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Nick LaLotaRepublican · New York