Curbelo sees first bill signed into law

The first piece of legislation from U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) to pass through both the House and Senate and be signed by the president was signed into law on Wednesday.

Curbelo’s H.R. 1386, the Small Entrepreneur Subcontracting Opportunities (SESO) Act, was included in the recently signed S. 1356, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“The SESO Act requires that agencies look at subcontracting accomplishments as well as prime contracting accomplishments when evaluating the performance of senior executives,” Curbelo said. “Furthermore, the SESO Act keeps Congress’s promise to small entrepreneurs by expanding opportunities in the federal procurement process and holding managers accountable for failing to meet established subcontracting goals. Subcontracting is an important entry point for new federal contractors. If we have fewer subcontractors today, we will have fewer prime contractors tomorrow. In turn, this would mean fewer small suppliers, manufacturers, and innovators and higher costs to the federal government. We must ensure a healthy industrial base at all levels.”

SESO was included as part of the NDAA, which gives complete authorization for military operations in fiscal year 2016 at $599.2 billion, with $58.8 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding. The NDAA provides resources to U.S. troops by reallocating funds to more pressing priorities, improving the efficacy of the military.

“This robust and comprehensive bill is essential to keeping our men and women in uniform well-equipped and safe, and I am proud that it was signed into law today,” Curbelo said.