Semper Tek was honored to have been invited to participate in the House Republican Small Business Committee’s Showcase of Veteran-Owned Businesses in Washington DC on November 4th. The event hosted by Committee Chair, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, recognized 15 veteran-owned companies from around the country for success in their respective marketplaces. Semper Tek was invited to the event by Kentucky’s 6th District US Representative, Congressman Andy Barr. Representative Barr has previously served as a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and remains a staunch advocate for veterans. Semper Tek was represented at this event by the company’s President, Scott Matheny and his wife Kym Matheny.
The showcase allowed various members of Congress to meet with participants one on one and hear firsthand about the challenges veteran entrepreneurs face and to discuss policies to support their small businesses.
In addition to the showcase, a roundtable discussion was held with members of the committee and the veteran owners. During the roundtable, each participant briefly addressed the members of the committee and shared issues that impacted their respective businesses. Mr. Matheny noted that the COVID Vaccine mandate presented many difficult challenges for small businesses and asked that the committee support exemptions for small businesses working on federal contracts. In addition, Mr. Matheny asked the committee to consider legislation to allow for sole source provisions for SDVOSB businesses on federal contracts similar to those in place for the SBA’s 8(a) program. He also discussed issues related to the lack of contingency funding for change orders on many federal contracts.
Also in attendance for the roundtable discussion was House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise. “Veterans are uniquely qualified to lead small businesses. The knowledge and skills that they gain throughout their military service make them natural leaders in managing their staff and running business operations” said Leader McCarthy.
At the event, House Republicans reiterated their commitment to advancing policies that empower our nation’s veteran entrepreneurs and remain dedicated to providing veteran-owned small businesses with the tools they need to get back on their feet and prosper.