Mike Lee (R-UT)
Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
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 "Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act" aims to eliminate preferences for disadvantaged individuals and businesses in federal contracting. It amends the Small Business Act to remove specific references to businesses owned or controlled by women and socially/economically disadvantaged individuals. The bill also targets Department of Transportation financial assistance programs and various other government programs to remove racial, ethnic, and gender-based goals. Additionally, it establishes a prohibition against considering race, ethnicity, or sex when granting civilian and defense contracts or awards. Finally, it mandates that executive agencies update their rules and guidance to remove these references within specific timeframes.
Yes
- Scored +3
Would white Americans be better off under this?
The bill removes racial and ethnic preferences that could have favored minority-owned businesses in the federal contracting process.
- Scored +3
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The bill maintains and isolates priority for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans.
- Scored +2
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?
The bill preserves priority status for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans while removing other preferences.
The opposite· 3 of 10
- Scored -7
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill eliminates the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 and removes racial-based business goals.
- Scored -7
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?
The bill eliminates specific preference programs for socially and economically disadvantaged business owners.
- Scored -7
Would women be better off under this?
The bill removes specific government contract preferences and reporting requirements for women-owned small businesses.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Standardization of Contract Awards: By prohibiting agency heads from taking into consideration the race, ethnicity, or sex of business owners when granting contracts or awards, the bill creates a standard of consideration based on factors other than these protected classes (Section 5(a)).
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Prohibition of Requirements on Contractors: The bill prevents the government from placing requirements on contractors or grantees that encourage them to take race, ethnicity, or sex into consideration for subcontracts or awards (Section 5(a)).
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Consistency Across Defense and Civilian Sectors: The bill extends the prohibition on racial, ethnic, and sex-based preferences to both civilian and defense contracts (Section 5(a) and Section 5(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Impact on Disadvantaged Business Owners: The bill repeals various provisions and preferences specifically designated for small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and women (Section 2).
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Reduction in Airport Improvement Project Grant Goals: The bill reduces the percentage for certain written assurances in airport improvement project grants from 10 percent to 5 percent (Section 3(a)).
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Elimination of Specific Small Business Reporting: The bill removes requirements to report the number of small businesses owned and controlled by women and those owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (Section 4(a)).
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Repeal of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021: The bill repeals this specific act, which previously addressed business development (Section 2(b)).
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 veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill maintains and isolates priority for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans. Would white Americans be better off under this? — The bill removes racial and ethnic preferences that could have favored minority-owned businesses in the federal contracting process. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill eliminates the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 and removes racial-based business goals. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill eliminates specific preference programs for socially and economically disadvantaged business owners. Would women be better off under this? — The bill removes specific government contract preferences and reporting requirements for women-owned small businesses. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill removes support mechanisms intended to foster economic development for socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Would business owners be better off under this? — While it removes specific demographic preferences, it establishes a standardized competitive process for all business owners.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill eliminates preferences and reporting requirements for small businesses owned and controlled by women. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill repeals the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 and removes racial and ethnic participation goals in government contracting.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill removes specific preferences and programs designed to support small businesses owned by women and socially/economically disadvantaged individuals.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — The bill reduces the required percentage for written assurances regarding disadvantaged business participation in airport improvement project grants.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill eliminates requirements to report the number of small businesses owned by women and socially/economically disadvantaged individuals.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill preserves priority status for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans while removing other preferences.
- 4/27/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Introduced in Senate
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.