,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bceh  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #ac1 #bjac ,mr4
 ,cohen introduced the following bill2  
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans   
,affairs to give preference to local    
contractors1 and for other purposes4    
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,preference for ,local ,veteran 
,contractors ,act4  #b4 ,preference for 
local contractors  7a7 ,local           
contractors  7#a7 ,in general ,chapter  
#e of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
is amended by inserting after section   
#eac the following new section3         
#eac;,a4 ,preference for local          
contractors  7a7 ,in general  7#a7 ,the 
,secretary shall give preference for    
awarding a covered contract to a local  
contractor4  7#b7 ,in giving preference 
for awarding a covered contract to a    
local contractor under paragraph 7#a7-- 

7,a7 if such local contractor is a small
 business concern1 such preference shall
 be given in accordance with section    
#habg7;i7 of this title2 and  7,b7 if   
such local contractor is not a small    
business concern1 the local contractor  
shall be treated as a contractor covered
 under section #habg7;i77#g74  7b7      
,notice required ,if the ,secretary     
awards a covered contract to a          
contractor that is not a local          
contractor1 the ,secretary shall publish
 a public notice explaining why a local 
contractor was not awarded the contract4
  7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3    
7#a7 ,the term covered contract means a 
contract for--  7,a7 the construction or
 maintenance of a facility of the       
,department2 or  7,b7 services provided 
to a particular facility or campus of   
the ,department4  7#b7 ,the term local  
contractor means a prime contractor     
that--  7,a7 submits a bid or proposal  
for a covered contract2 and  7,b7 has   
its principal offices or location within

 a #fj-mile radius of the facility of   
the ,department covered by such         
contract4  4  7#b7 ,clerical amendment  
,the table of sections at the beginning 
of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section #eac 
the following new item3  #eac;,a4       
,preference for local contractors4  4   
7#c7 ,conforming amendment ,section     
#hajf7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code1 is amended by striking ,the      
,secretary and inserting ,in accordance 
with section #eac;,a of this title1 the 
,secretary4  7b7 ,small business        
concerns ,section #habg7;i7 of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
to read as follows3  7i7 ,priority for  
,contracting ,preferences ,preferences  
for awarding contracts to small business
 concerns shall be applied in the       
following order of priority3  7#a7      
,contracts awarded pursuant to          
subsection 7b71 7c71 or 7d7 to small    
business concerns owned and controlled  
by veterans with service-connected      

disabilities that1 for purposes of such 
a contract1 are local contractors under 
section #eac;,a of this title4  7#b7    
,contracts awarded pursuant to          
subsection 7b71 7c71 or 7d7 to small    
business concerns owned and controlled  
by veterans with service-connected      
disabilities that are not covered by    
paragraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,contracts awarded
 pursuant to subsection 7b71 7c71 or 7d7
 to small business concerns owned and   
controlled by veterans that--  7,a7 are 
not covered by paragraphs 7#a7 or 7#b72 
and  7,b7 for purposes of such a        
contract1 are local contractors under   
section #eac;,a of this title4  7#d7    
,contracts awarded pursuant to          
subsection 7b71 7c71 or 7d7 to small    
business concerns owned and controlled  
by veterans that are not covered by     
paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#c74  7#e7   
,contracts awarded pursuant to section  
#h7;a7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae
 ,u4,s4,c4 #fcg7;a77 or section #ca of  
such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #feg;a7 to a   

contractor that1 for purposes of such a 
contract1 are local contractors under   
section #eac;,a of this title4  7#f7    
,contracts awarded pursuant to any other
 small business contracting preference  
to a contractor that1 for purposes of   
such a contract1 are local contractors  
under section #eac;,a of this title4    
7#g7 ,contracts awarded pursuant to     
section #h7;a7 of the ,small ,business  
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcg7;a77 or section
 #ca of such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #feg;a7
 to a contractor that is not covered by 
paragraph 7#e74  7#h7 ,contracts awarded
 pursuant to any other small business   
contracting preference to a contractor  
that is not covered by paragraph 7#f74  
4  7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments  
made by this section shall take effect  
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act4