JOHN K. LOPEZ, CHAIRMAN, ASSOCIATION FOR SERVICE DISABLED VETERANS,

ADDRESS TO THE CALIFORNIA DISABLED VETERANS BUSINESS ALLIANCE CONFERENCE (MAY 2006, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA)

SINCE THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR NATION, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE PLACED GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THAT INTERPRETATION OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION THAT PERMITS OUR GOVERNMENT TO CONSCRIPT OR SEDUCE OUR CITIZENS TO BE KILLED, DISABLED AND TORTURED IN MILITARY SERVICE, FOR THE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.

COMPLICIT IN THAT APPLICATION, HAS BEEN THE PRESUMPTION THAT OUR NATION, THRU ITS GOVERNMENT, WOULD PROVIDE REHABILITATION FOR THE SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN (SDV) SURVIVORS OF THE RESULTING CONSEQUENCES.

THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE WHEN SDV HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN THEIR REHABILITATION AS OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF SMALLER BUSINESSES (SDVOB).

IT HAS BEEN NEARLY SIX (6) YEARS SINCE THE U.S. CONGRESS FIRST PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR THE SERVICE DISABLED AND PRISONER OF WAR VETERAN ENTERPRISE INITIATIVE, BY ENACTING P.L. 106-50 AND P.L. 108-183.

THE ADMINISTRATION FOLLOWED THAT DIRECTION, BY INVOKING PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER 13360, DIRECTING AGGRESSIVE AND IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE LAWS, AND SPECIFYING THE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN.

THOSE ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE IN OCTOBER 2004, AND SINCE THAT TIME FRUSTRATION HAS PREVAILED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEGISLATED INTENT OF THE U.S. CONGRESS HAS BEEN SUBVERTED BY REGULATORS; THRU THE PARSING OF LANGUAGE, STATEMENTS AND REFERENCES TO ENABLING REGULATION AND LAWS.

THIS BUREAUCRATIC ABUSE HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF CONFUSING AND IMPEDING THE EFFORT TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF SERVICE DISABLED VETERANS (SDV) IN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.

THE POLICY OF THE NATION AND THE INTENT OF THE CONGRESS HAS BEEN IGNORED AND THE CONGRESSIONAL COMPACT FOR OUR NATION’S SECURITY HAS BEEN VIOLATED.

LAST MONTH, THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY, INCITED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIG), INCLUDING MAJOR CORPORATE BILLION DOLLAR SUPPLIERS OF GOODS AND SERVICES TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, MOVED TO DISCOURAGE AND SUPPRESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SDV BY TWO (2) ACTIONS:

• THE DISSOLUTION OF THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, VETERAN CONTRACTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE CLOSING OF THE OFFICE;

AND SECONDLY,

• THE SUBMISSION OF AN AMENDMENT TO H.R. 3082, “THE VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTION ACT”, THAT REMOVES THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR A 9% AWARD OF USDVA PROCUREMENTS TO VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS TOGETHER WITH REMOVING A 3% MANDATORY AWARD OF USDVA PROCUREMENTS TO SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES.

THIS EXCLUSION IS REPLACED WITH A PROVISION THAT GIVES “DISCRETION” TO THE SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS TO DETERMINE A “GOAL” FOR PROCUREMENT AWARDS TO VETERANS AND DISABLED VETERANS AND TO MONITOR THAT GOAL.

THIS OUTRAGE WAS REJECTED BY ALL LEADING NATIONAL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS IN A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING APRIL 27, 2006 IN WASHINGTON D.C.

AT PRESENT, THE PLANNED FOLLOW-ON ACTION WILL BE TO COORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF THE “NATIONAL TASK FORCE FOR VETERANS’ ENTREPRENEURSHIP” WITH THE “ROLLING THUNDER” MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 29, 2006, DEMONSTRATION. THIS WILL PLACE THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLE VEHICLES IN POSITION TO SURROUND THE USDVA HEADQUARTERS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE U.S. CAPITOL AND THE OFFICES OF SELECTED MAJOR CORPORATIONS, THAT HAVE DISPLAYED DISREGARD FOR LEGISLATION, THAT REQUIRES GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS TO OFFER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVICE DISABLED VETERANS.

CONSEQUENTLY, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT CONGRESS ENACT H.R. 3082, “THE VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTION ACT”, WITHOUT THE AMENDMENT WHICH AUTHORIZES THE USDVA TO SET GOALS FOR THE ACT, BUT THAT DOES REEMPHASIZE THE INTENT OF THE U.S. CONGRESS. THAT INTENT IS A SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF THE CONCERN, FOCUS AND CONGRESSIONAL RESPONSE TO THE VETERAN’S NEED FOR REHABILITATION AND TRANSITION ASSISTANCE.

H.R. 3082 ALSO GIVES SPECIFIC AUTHORITY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (USDVA) TO CONFIRM THE ELIGIBILITY OF SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESSES AND TO ACCEPT DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF BENEFITS TO THE VETERAN. ESPECIALLY, THE SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN. IT PUTS THE TASK TO THAT AGENCY SPECIFICALLY ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVING “THOSE WHO HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE”.

THE PROVISIONS OF H.R. 3082 ARE ALSO NECESSARY BECAUSE THE FOCUS MUST BE PLACED ON THOSE PERSONS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE PROCUREMENT AWARDS, NOT ON THE READILY MANIPULATED REGULATIONS.

H.R. 3082 ALSO CLARIFIES THE MISCONCEPTION THAT VETERANS ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND THE PROPOSED ACT, ARE A SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE OR A CULTURAL INEQUITY PANACEA.

H.R. 3082 IS A SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTION TO THAT CONTINUING OBLIGATION OF OUR NATION TO REHABILITATE THOSE VETERANS THAT SACRIFICE FOR OUR NATIONS SECURITY AND PROSPERITY.

THE SERVICE DISABLED VETERANS GOVERNMENT SERVICE INCURRED MISERY, IS UNIQUE!

THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR REQUIRING THAT SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN INDEMNIFICATION AND REHABILITATION BE ADJUSTED TO THE CONDUCT OF ANY OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROGRAM. THE NEGLECT TO SUPPORT THE REHABILITATION OF SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESSES HAS ALSO PLACED UNNECESSARY STRESS ON THE FAMILY OF THE SDV.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 2,500,000 WOMEN ARE INTEGRAL IN THE OPERATION OF SDVE AND OVER 15,000,000 IN ALL VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS.

THE AGE OLD ADAGE THAT; "BESIDE EVERY SUCCESSFUL MAN STANDS A WOMAN"; PALES IN SIGNIFICANCE WHEN COMPARED TO THE ROLE OF THE WIVES’, MOTHERS’, SISTERS’ AND DAUGHTERS’ WHO CARE FOR THOSE SERVICE DISABLED AND PRISONER OF WAR VETERANS (SDV) THAT ARE ENHANCING THEIR REHABILITATION THROUGH THE OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF A SMALLER BUSINESS (SDVE).

BESIDES THE ENORMOUS BURDEN OF CARING FOR THE SDV’S LIFE LONG DISABILITIES, INCURRED IN SACRIFICE FOR THE WELL BEING OF ALL THE FREE WORLD, THESE WOMEN ARE VESTED PARTICIPANTS IN THE DAILY MANAGEMENT OF THE SDV ENTERPRISE. WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION THE SDVE IS SURELY DOOMED TO FAILURE.

FOR TOO LONG, THIS EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTION HAS GONE UNRECOGNIZED AND THE UNIQUE INVESTMENT OF VESTED WOMEN (VW) UNCOMPENSATED.

PRESENT LEGAL APPLICATION STATES THAT THE LEGAL ENTITLEMENT OF THE SDV BUSINESS CEASES WHEN THE SDV OWNER DIES OR IS INCAPACITATED, LEAVING THE SIGNIFICANTLY INVESTED VW WITH A PRACTICALLY TOTALLY DEVALUED BUSINESS. THE ACTUAL VW ROLE AS A DEFACTO PARTNER AND AN ENABLING FORCE IN THE ENTERPRISE, IS DISCARDED.

THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DISPOSITION OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE SDV AND THE SACRIFICE OF THE VW. DISGRACING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NATION FOR THE FAMILIES’ SACRIFICE AND THEIR INITIATIVE. H.R. 3082 WILL ALLEVIATE THIS INJUSTICE AND PROVIDE FOR SDV BUSINESS SUCCESSION.

IN THE WORDS OF ONE VESTED WOMAN (VW); "WOMEN HAVE STOOD BY TOO LONG WHILE OUR DISABLED VETERAN LOVED ONES HAVE TAKEN ABUSE AND DISRESPECT FOR THEIR SACRIFICE FOR THIS NATION, WHILE THEY STRUGGLE WITH THEIR NEED FOR REHABILITATION. THIS MUST STOP!

FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICAN MILITARY HEROES WILL BE FOREVER INDEBTED TO THE CONGRESS, AND ESPECIALLY THE 109TH CONGRESS, FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO HONOR AND SUPPORT THOSE KILLED, MAIMED, AND TORTURED IN THE CONTINUING STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.

THOSE IRAQI-AFGHANISTAN VETERANS RETURNING FROM HARMS WAY ARE EXPERIENCING A FAR DIFFERENT OUTREACH THAN OTHERS WHO HAVE SERVED, AND THAT IS A TRIBUTE TO THE CONSCIENCE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS AND THE EFFORTS OF THE SDVE COMMUNITY.

ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, AND ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, ARE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF YOU, THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THESE EFFORTS.

YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATOR AND YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVES AND STRESS TO THEM THAT THE ABUSE AND THE FRUSTRATION OF SECURING ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR DISABLED IN MILITARY SERVICE VETERANS IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS.

EVERYTHING IN THIS NATION IS THE RESULT OF THE SACRIFICE OF MILLIONS OF AMERICAN VETERANS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US AND THOSE HEROES THAT ARE SERVING NOW.

THEY DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT!!