Johnny Olszewski (D-MD)
Oversight and Transparency for Small Business Certifications Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House voice vote
- In Senate committee
The House by voice vote (members called out yes or no together): no member's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
This Act, known as the "Oversight and Transparency for Small Business Certifications Act of 2026," aims to amend the Small Business Act. It requires the Administrator to submit an annual report to Congress regarding small business participation in covered contracting programs. The report must include details on the total number of unique small business concerns certified and various application statistics. Specific data is required for service-disabled veterans, women-owned businesses, and qualified HUBZone small business concerns. It also mandates reporting on the timeframes required to issue certification or recertification determinations.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates annual reporting to Congress on small business certification statistics and processing timeframes.
- Scored +3
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill increases transparency and accountability for small business certification processes.
- Scored +3
Would women be better off under this?
The bill mandates specific data collection on the certification and processing speeds for women-owned businesses.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency for Small Businesses: By requiring reports on the total number of unique small business concerns certified and the number of applications processed, the bill provides clarity on how many businesses are successfully participating in covered contracting programs (Section 2, Subsection (c)(1)(A) and (B)).
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Accountability for Service-Disabled Veterans: The bill requires specific data on the number of applications certified, denied, or pending for service-s-disabled veterans, as well as the average time taken for determinations (Section 2, Subsection (c)(1)(C) and (D)).
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Accountability for Women-Owned Businesses: The report must track the number of applications certified or denied for women-owned businesses, including those eligible for sole source contracts, and the timeframes involved in these determinations (Section 2, Subsection (c)(1)(E) and (G)).
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Accountability for HUBZone Businesses: The bill mandates reporting on the number of certified, denied, or pending applications for qualified HUBZone small business concerns, alongside the average time for a determination (Section 2, Subsection (c)(1)(H) and (I)).
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Improved Efficiency Tracking: The requirement to report on the timeframe between application submission and the issuance of a determination can help identify how well the Administration meets its established timeframes (Section 2, Subsection (c)(1)(D), (G), and (I)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are mentioned in the text.
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill increases transparency and accountability for small business certification processes. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill requires detailed reporting on the certification of service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and processing timeframes. Would women be better off under this? — The bill mandates specific data collection on the certification and processing speeds for women-owned businesses.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill enhances oversight and transparency regarding certification processes for various small business categories. Is this likely to create jobs? — By tracking certification efficiency for small businesses, the bill aims to improve participation in federal contracting programs.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates annual reporting to Congress on small business certification statistics and processing timeframes.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill requires specific reporting on certification outcomes and timeframes for women-owned small businesses.
- 6/24/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- 6/23/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4145-4146)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4145-4146)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8879.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4145-4146)
- Mr. Williams (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 6/3/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 119-680.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 593.
- 5/20/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 0.
- 5/19/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Tony WiedRepublican · Wisconsin