H.R. 499House116th Congress (2019-2021)Passed House

Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:24 AM UTC

The Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act updates the Small Business Act to clarify how surviving spouses of service‑disabled veterans are treated when determining ownership and control of a small business. It changes the eligibility period for those spouses, affecting how long they can claim the business qualifies as veteran‑owned after the veteran’s death. The changes apply to surviving spouses of veterans with service‑connected disabilities, both those rated 100 percent and those rated less than 100 percent.

Key Provisions

Removes the phrase “rated as 100 percent” and related language from the definition of a small business owned and controlled by a service‑disabled veteran.
Sets the eligibility period for a surviving spouse to 10 years after the veteran’s death if the veteran was rated 100 percent disabled or died from a service‑connected disability, and to 3 years if the veteran was rated less than 100 percent and did not die from a service‑connected disability.

Legislative Activity

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14 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

November 14, 2019

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 11, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.

Small Business Committee

January 11, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Small Business Committee

July 17, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Small Business Committee

July 17, 2019

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 116-235.

Small Business Committee

October 15, 2019

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 187.

October 15, 2019

HouseFloor

Mr. Schneider moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

November 13, 2019 • 1:12 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8802-8803)

November 13, 2019 • 1:13 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 499.

November 13, 2019 • 1:13 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

November 13, 2019 • 1:21 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8812-8813)

November 13, 2019 • 5:03 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 613).(text: CR H8802)

View vote Passed

November 13, 2019 • 5:10 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 613). (text: CR H8802)

View vote Passed

November 13, 2019 • 5:10 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

November 13, 2019 • 5:10 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

November 14, 2019

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

November 13, 2019 at 5:09 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

423 - 0

Bill Text

4 versions available

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Referred in SenateIssued November 14, 2019

IIB

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 499

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 14, 2019

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

AN ACT

To amend the Small Business Act to clarify the treatment of certain surviving spouses under the definition of small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act.

Technical amendment regarding treatment of certain surviving spouses under the definition of small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans

Effective on the date specified in subsection (e) of section 1832 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2660), section 3(q)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(q)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (C)(i)(II), by striking rated as 100 percent and all that follows through service-connected disability; and

(2)

by amending subparagraph (C)(ii)(III) to read as follows:

(III)

the date that—

(aa)

in the case of a surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling or who dies as a result of a service-connected disability, is 10 years after the date of the death of the veteran; or

(bb)

in the case of a surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability rated as less than 100 percent disabling who does not die as a result of a service-connected disability, is 3 years after the date of the death of the veteran.

Passed the House of Representatives November 13, 2019.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk.