In a recent bipartisan effort to support the nation's heroes, the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act has brought in a new era for disabled veteran entrepreneurs in Georgia. The legislation mandates that a minimum of 5% of federal contracts are to be awarded to small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. This initiative is part of the Investing in VETS Act, championed by U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and hailed as a landmark verdict for veterans who have turned towards entrepreneurship.
The embrace of these new measures was to directly challenge the historical discrimination faced by disabled veterans in the business sphere. At a press conference in Decatur, Sen. Ossoff highlighted the importance of the law, designed to both honor and provide tangible support to those who've served. "This is a big announcement. It's been a long time coming and we would not be here without the relentless advocacy of the VFW here in Georgia and veterans service organizations across the country," Ossoff told Atlanta News First. He continued to express that to fulfill a duty to support those who've bled for the nation can never be considered as doing too much.
The statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlight the scale of potential impact, with an estimated 27% of veterans having a service-connected disability. Georgia, known for its significant veteran population of over 700,000, is home to more than 97,000 veteran-owned small businesses, as per reports by WALB News. Such businesses are now poised to receive a significant boost from the federal government's contractual decision-making processes.
The new measure has received applause from Georgia’s veteran community, including Patsey Schreiber, a VFW Georgia State commander and service-disabled veteran business owner.“They see a disability as a handicap, therefore we were looked at like we weren’t going to be reliable, we wouldn’t come to work. I’ve served my time for 26 years, I may have a disability but I’m still a human being. I’m not ashamed I have a disability. I’m ashamed it’s taken our country this long to realize someone with a disability can do the same job that someone else can do,” Schreiber said in the statement obtained by Atlanta News First.
