H.R. 4598House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act

Introduced July 13, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 9:55 AM UTC

The bill expands the Department of Transportation’s support for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. It raises the funding cap for the Federal Highway Administration’s DBE supportive services program and creates dedicated supportive‑services programs for the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration, each with up to $5 million per fiscal year. The changes aim to help disadvantaged businesses compete for DOT contracts and subcontracts.

Key Provisions

  • Increases the FHWA DBE supportive services program cap from $10 million to $25 million and sets FY2024‑2026 funding levels of $525,799,671, $536,015,664, and $546,435,977 respectively.
  • Establishes a Federal Transit Administration DBE supportive services program, authorizing up to $5 million per year for training and assistance to disadvantaged small businesses and adjusts related funding authorizations for FY2024‑2026.
  • Creates a Federal Aviation Administration socially and economically disadvantaged business participation supportive services program, allowing up to $5 million per year for training and assistance, and defines eligible entities such as states, tribal governments, and public authorities.
  • Amends the Airport and Airways Trust Fund authority to include the new FAA supportive services program.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

July 14, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 13, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

July 13, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

July 14, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

July 14, 2023

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 4598 on the floor

1 Republican
Monica De La Cruz
Rep. Monica De La CruzR-TX-15 · Sep 12, 2023

Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors were added to public bills and resolutions, as follows: H.R. 16: Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Casten, Mr. Casar, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Caraveo, and Mr. Sablan. H.R.…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 13, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4598

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 13, 2023

Mr. Aguilar (for himself, Mr. Gomez, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Titus, and Ms. Barragán) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To provide for disadvantaged business enterprise supportive services programs at modal administrations of the Department of Transportation, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act.

2.

Increase cap for Federal Highway Administration disadvantaged business enterprise supportive services program

(a)

In general

Section 140(c) of title 23, United States Code, is amended, in the second sentence, by striking $10,000,000 and inserting $25,000,000.

(b)

Conforming amendment

Section 104(a)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking subparagraphs (C) through (E) and inserting the following:

(C)

$525,799,671 for fiscal year 2024;

(D)

$536,015,664 for fiscal year 2025; and

(E)

$546,435,977 for fiscal year 2026.

.

(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2023.

3.

Federal Transit Administration disadvantaged business enterprise supportive services program

(a)

In general

Section 5332 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(g)

Disadvantaged business enterprise supportive services program

(1)

In general

The Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, the Associate Administrator for Civil Rights of the Federal Transit Administration, other Federal agencies, State agencies, authorities, associations, institutions, Tribal governments, for profit or nonprofit corporations, and any other organizations or persons, including transit authorities and transit-specific organizations, may develop, conduct, and administer training programs and assistance programs in connection with any program under this chapter so that small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals may achieve proficiency to compete, on an equal basis, for contracts and subcontracts.

(2)

Funding

Of the amounts made available to carry out section 5314, the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, the Associate Administrator for Civil Rights of the Federal Transit Administration, shall use not more than $5,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out this subsection.

(3)

Nonapplicability of certain provisions

Notwithstanding section 3106 of title 41, section 6101 of that title shall not be applicable to contracts and agreements entered into pursuant to paragraph (1).

.

(b)

Funding

Section 5338(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E) and inserting the following:

(C)

$13,995,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;

(D)

$14,284,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and

(E)

$14,647,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.

; and

(2)

in paragraph (2)(H), by striking $12,404,500 for fiscal year 2024, $12,660,748 for fiscal year 2025, and $12,982,608 for fiscal year 2026 and inserting $17,404,500 for fiscal year 2024, $17,660,748 for fiscal year 2025, and $17,982,608 for fiscal year 2026.

(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2023.

4.

Federal Aviation Administration socially and economically disadvantaged business participation supportive services program

(a)

In general

Section 47113 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(f)

Socially and economically disadvantaged business participation supportive services program

(1)

In general

The Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Civil Rights of the Federal Aviation Administration, may make agreements to provide assistance to an eligible entity described in paragraph (2) to develop, conduct, and administer training programs and assistance programs in connection with any project to be carried out under a grant agreement under this subchapter in order that small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals may achieve proficiency to compete, on an equal basis, for contracts and subcontracts related to such projects, and for Small Business Innovation Research contracts.

(2)

Eligible entities described

An eligible entity described in this paragraph is any of the following:

(A)

A State or territory.

(B)

A political subdivision of a State or local government.

(C)

A Tribal government.

(D)

A special purpose district or public authority with an aviation function.

(E)

A port authority.

(F)

A metropolitan planning organization.

(G)

A group of entities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (F).

(H)

Any other profit or non-profit organization or group of organizations deemed appropriate by the Secretary.

(3)

Funding

From amounts available in the Airport and Airways Trust Fund established under section 9502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Civil Rights of the Federal Aviation Administration, may use such sums as necessary, not to exceed $5,000,000 per fiscal year, for the administration of this subsection.

.

(b)

Expenditure authority from airport and airway trust fund

Section 9502(d)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting or section 47113(f) of title 49, United States Code before the semicolon at the end.

(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2023.