Veteran business owners share frustrations with lawmakers, ‘bureaucratic red tape’ in Washington

WASHINGTON — Millions of small businesses nationwide are owned by veterans but many vets say they face financial hurdles when it comes to getting their businesses up and running.

Channel 2 Washington Correspondent Samantha Manning spoke to veteran business owners at the Capitol, where they shared their experiences with lawmakers.

The nearly two million small businesses owned by veterans in the U.S. employ about 5.5 million people, but business owners say it’s often an uphill battle, whether it’s getting started or staying open.

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“Sadly, the bureaucratic red tape, there’s a heck of a lot of it, challenged small businesses,” Rep. Nick Lalota (R-N.Y.) told Channel 2 Action News.

Those challenges and the red tape was the topic of a discussion in a House of Representatives committee meeting on Tuesday, that had the attention of lawmakers in both parties.

“Veteran entrepreneurs play a significant role on Main Street,” Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) said.

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The business owners say a major hurdle is getting a fair shake when it comes to government contracts while competing against larger companies. Lawmakers say the number of small businesses winning federal contracts has been cut in half in the past decade because the process is often too difficult to navigate.

“Veteran businesses face unique and persistent challenges,” Bill Belknap, president of AEONRG, LLC, said.

Due to experience needs when determining who qualifies for government contracts, military veterans are calling on lawmakers to count their military service as past experience to award contracts.

They also say veteran small business owners can benefit from mentorship by learning from other veterans who have successfully transitioned from military life to owning their own businesses.

Lawmakers also heard about challenges for small businesses owned by military spouses, who say they often can’t get the money they need to get started.

“Financial institutions often view military spouses as less than favorable due to our nomadic lifestyle,” Stephanie Brown, CEO and Founder of the Rosie Network, said.

Lawmakers are now looking into solutions to make it easier for veterans and military spouses to get contracts and financial support.

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