Rush Joins Patrick to Help Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

State Sen. Mike Rush recently joined Governor Deval Patrick during the signing of an executive order to help small businesses owned by disabled veterans increase access to contracts for public projects in the areas of construction, design and goods and services.

On March 8, Patrick and Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray were joined by Secretary of Veterans’ Services Coleman Nee, Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor, Secretary of Education Matthew Malone, members of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, the Veterans Business Council and other veteran service organizations for the signing, according to a press release.

“Massachusetts leads the nation in veterans’ benefits and services,” said Patrick via press release. “This executive order will ensure our service-disabled veteran business owners are afforded every opportunity to succeed and grow in the Commonwealth.”

The executive order directs the Executive Office of Administration and Finance (A&F) to define program requirements and guidelines. That office will then "implement a participation goal requirement for service disabled veteran-owned small businesses to gain access to contracts for public projects in the areas of construction, design, and goods and services procurement."  A Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise Program will be established.

"In “An Act Relative to Veterans’ Access Livelihood, Opportunity, and Resources” (The VALOR Act), which Governor Patrick signed last year, provides greater assistance to help veteran-owned small business participate in public projects.  A&F’s implementation of the executive order will help create jobs and reduce veteran unemployment.

“I want to applaud the Patrick-Murray Administration for continuing to provide enhanced opportunities for our veterans,” said Rush, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “This executive order will have positive impacts on the Commonwealth in the areas of job creation and cost savings through competition. This no-cost, job creation measure will help grow service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses which will undoubtedly assist in reducing the number of unemployed veterans in our state.”

There are 124 service-disabled veteran-owned businesses certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs located in Massachusetts, according to a press release. More than 385,000 veterans currently live in Massachusetts, including more than 42,000 men and women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, including Rush.