"I have heard stories of minority small businesses owners who have missed out on jobs because the government awarded the work to someone else while they were getting duplicate certifications," said Sen. Talent. "We passed legislation last year to fix the problem, but this amendment ensures that minority-owned small businesses get to compete for billions of dollars in transportation contracts. Our amendment directs the Department of Transportation to inform state and local governments that disadvantaged businesses no longer need to jump through additional hoops to compete for federal highway projects."

The amendment would make it the responsibility of the Department of Transportation to let minority-owned small businesses know they no longer have to go through the time consuming and expensive process of recertifying at the state and local levels if they want to compete for a federal road-building project.

The amendment is part of a broader effort Sen. Talent is leading to make certain that minority-owned small businesses are aware of a new law providing that once a disadvantaged small business is certified at the federal level it does not have to go through the recertification at the state and local levels. Sen. Talent passed this legislation last November, but there is concern that many minority-owned small businesses may not be aware of the new law.

Sen. Talent's amendment applies to disadvantaged small businesses who qualify for the Small Business Administration's Section 8(a) program, a business development program created to help small disadvantaged businesses compete in the American economy and compete for federal contracts. Those who qualify for 8(a) certification are primarily African-Americans, Hispanics, women and veterans.