Common Repository for Small Businesses Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/5977
Last Updated: November 11, 2025

Sponsored by

Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

ID: S001228

Follow the money

The bill

Common Repository for Small Businesses Act

HR. 5977, 119th Congress — read as touching Defense Contractors.

The sponsor

Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$111,558 raised

22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Defense" section, p. 128-130 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

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📍 Current Status

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Committee Review

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Floor Action

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Passed Senate

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House Review

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Passed Congress

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Presidential Action

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Became Law

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1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the esteemed members of Congress. The "Common Repository for Small Businesses Act" - a title that screams "We care about small businesses!" while actually being a Trojan horse for bureaucratic inefficiency and crony capitalism.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's stated purpose is to create a centralized repository of supplier information, making it easier for the Department of Defense (DoD) to vet contractors. Because, you know, the DoD's current system of duplicative efforts and redundant paperwork is just too efficient. The real objective? To line the pockets of favored contractors and consultants who will "help" establish this repository.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy to create a repository within 90 days, because that's a totally realistic timeline for a government project. It also allows for public-private partnerships, which is just code for "we're going to outsource this to our buddies in the private sector and make them rich."

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Small businesses? Ha! They'll be lucky if they get a seat at the table. The real beneficiaries will be large contractors who can afford to play the game, as well as the consultants and lobbyists who will "assist" with the repository's creation.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a perfect example of the "solution in search of a problem" phenomenon. It will create more bureaucracy, not less, and will likely lead to more opportunities for corruption and cronyism. The DoD will still have to deal with redundant paperwork, but now they'll have the added bonus of paying consultants to tell them how to do it.

In short, this bill is a classic case of " legislative lupus" - a disease where politicians pretend to care about small businesses while actually serving the interests of their corporate donors. The symptoms are clear: bureaucratic inefficiency, crony capitalism, and a healthy dose of hypocrisy. Diagnosis? Terminal stupidity. Prognosis? More of the same.

Related Topics

Defense Spending & ProcurementFederal Budget & Appropriations
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$111,558
19 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$3,800
Committees
$0
Individuals
$107,758

No PAC contributions found

1
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA
1 transaction
$3,300
2
A-OK ENTERPRISES, LLC
1 transaction
$500

No committee contributions found

1
MILLER, RICHARD
2 transactions
$13,200
2
CUTLER, ROBERT S.
2 transactions
$11,200
3
DECKER, GARY
2 transactions
$6,870
4
ROSE, DIANA
1 transaction
$6,600
5
ROSE, GARY
1 transaction
$6,600
6
PROCHNOW, JOSEPH
1 transaction
$6,600
7
NELSON, NORMAN T
1 transaction
$6,600
8
BONAVIA, NICHOLAS J.
1 transaction
$6,600
9
PATTERSON, ROB
1 transaction
$6,600
10
RAWLINGS, JASON
1 transaction
$6,600
11
WINTER, BRIAN
1 transaction
$6,600
12
CHOWDHURY, REZAUL A.
1 transaction
$5,000
13
HARSHBERGER, GARY K.
1 transaction
$5,000
14
LOWEN, MATT
1 transaction
$3,435
15
ARMSTRONG, JAY
1 transaction
$3,435
16
ANTHONY, JEFF
1 transaction
$3,409
17
OLIVER, TRAVIS
1 transaction
$3,409

Donor Network - Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 32 nodes and 22 connections (41 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $111,558

Top Donors - Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

Showing top 19 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs17 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.

  • +Defense Contractorsconfidence 0.90

    Section 2(a) requires the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy to establish a repository of supplier information to facilitate qualification of suppliers for the Department of Defense, which benefits defense contractors by streamlining supplier qualification and reducing duplicative efforts.

  • Section 2(b) mentions coordination with efforts to provide market research, supply chain resiliency, cybersecurity, and secure cloud tools to entities furnishing procurement technical assistance under chapter 388 of title 10, U.S.C., and small manufacturers, which could include construction and engineering firms that supply the DoD.

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Defense

Strong
Vector: 64%
Pages: 128-130AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"HR 5977 directly supports Project 2025's objectives to strengthen the defense industrial base by improving small business qualification processes, enhancing supply chain resiliency, and streamlining DoD acquisition through a centralized supplier repository and public-private partnerships."

Key themes:small business engagementsupply chain resiliencyacquisition efficiencydefense industrial basepublic-private partnerships

— 96 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise relevant. This allows the acquisition community to focus on portfolio management and move money around more easily instead of being locked into inflexible, multiyear procurement cycles. 2. The President should examine the recommendations of the congressionally mandated Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Reform4 and develop a strategy for implementing those that the Administration considers to be in the best interests of the American people. The commission’s final report is due on September 1, 2023. 3. Develop legislation or other means of providing funding outside the traditional PPBE process for the prototyping and experimentation of emerging technologies that are deemed essential to modernization and future conflict. Consider creating a “fast track” for projects that satisfy the most pressing national security needs. 4. Require the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering, and all service secretaries to conduct “Night Court” and use existing authorities to terminate outdated or underperforming programs so that money can be used for what works and will work. Require the Under Secretaries and service secretaries to brief the Secretary annually on the results. 5. Require the Office of the Secretary of Defense to research and report on the acquisition processes used by America’s adversaries to improve our understanding of how they are often able to innovate and field new technologies on a faster timeline. l Strengthen America’s defense industrial base. 1. Replenish and maintain U.S. stockpiles of ammunition and other equipment that have been depleted as a result of U.S. support to Ukraine. This will strengthen the defense industry supply chain and ensure that adequate inventory exists if it is needed for a future conflict. 2. Collaborate with industry to develop a prioritized list of reforms that the DOD and Congress can enact and implement to incentivize industry to help America’s military innovate and field needed capabilities. — 97 — Department of Defense 3. Strengthen the ability of acquisition authorities to engage in multiyear procurements and block buys. This will improve private-sector rates of return, thereby incentivizing defense contractors to partner with the government. It will also reduce government overhead by reducing the number of procurement competitions. 4. Prioritize the U.S. and allies under the “domestic end product” and “domestic components” requirements of the Build America, Buy America Act.5 Currently, defense companies are required to manufacture defense items for the U.S. government that are 100 percent domestically produced and at least 50 percent composed of domestically produced components. However, there are loopholes that allow companies to manufacture these items overseas. This can create supply chain and other issues, especially in wartime. Manufacturing components and end products domestically and with allies spurs factory development, increases American jobs, and builds resilience in America’s defense industrial base. 5. Review the sectors currently prioritized for onshoring or “friendshoring” of manufacturing (kinetic capabilities, castings and forgings, critical materials, microelectronics, space, and electric vehicle batteries); evaluate them according to the strategic landscape; and expand or reprioritize the list as appropriate. 6. Help small businesses to become medium-size and large vendors, which encourages a more resilient industrial base and fosters competition. Encourage and plan for durable supply chains for small businesses so they also have commercial/private-sector customers and are not solely dependent on defense orders, which can be highly specialized, expensive, and irregular. 7. Increase external engagement among small businesses to inform them of DOD’s needs and how they could work with DOD to meet national security priorities. l Optimize the DOD acquisition community. 1. Create incentives to emphasize speed and agility in decision-making for prototyping and program-of-record starts and terminations. Most bureaucrats would rather follow a checklist and fail than go outside the procedures and win because failure means negative

Department of Defense

Strong
Vector: 62%
Pages: 128-130AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"HR 5977 directly supports Project 2025's DOD acquisition and sustainment goals by streamlining supplier qualification, reducing bureaucratic duplication, and enhancing defense industrial base resilience—core themes of the proposed acquisition reforms."

Key themes:acquisition reformdefense industrial basesupply chain resiliencyprocurement efficiencysmall business integration

— 95 — Department of Defense 1. Expand and modernize the U.S. nuclear force so that it has the size, sophistication, and tailoring to deter Russia and China simultaneously. 2. Develop a nuclear arsenal with the size, sophistication, and tailoring— including new capabilities at the theater level—to ensure that there is no circumstance in which America is exposed to serious nuclear coercion. l Increase allied counterterrorist burden-sharing. Transnational terrorism remains a threat to Americans even as we pivot toward Asia. 1. Sustain the military forces needed to deter, prevent, and combat terrorism, but at a sustainable cost in concert with other elements of national power and partner efforts. 2. Prioritize enhancing the capability of allies and partners to take the lead in combating terrorism in their regions. DOD ACQUISITION AND SUSTAINMENT (A&S) The DOD’s ability to acquire and field new and existing technologies is essential to the ability of America’s military personnel to fight and win our nation’s wars. To succeed in this endeavor, we must optimize the systems and personnel that the department uses, but the inflexible bureaucratic structure and risk-adverse culture that have developed over the decades make it difficult to provide the tools that warfighters need at the speed of relevance. The number one problem is the DOD budgeting process (instituted in 1961) that requires acquisition spending to be locked years in advance. Because tech- nologies change so rapidly and requirements can change overnight, this creates situations in which military personnel not only go to war with outdated technol- ogy, but also may be fighting with equipment that is less capable than that of their competitors. America owes its military many things, and the most important is the resources they need to survive on the battlefield and carry out the tasks we ask of them. Needed Reforms l Reform the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) process. 1. Enhance funding and authority for DOD mission-focused innovation organizations and away from program-specific stovepipes that, planned for and designed two or three years earlier, may no longer be — 96 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise relevant. This allows the acquisition community to focus on portfolio management and move money around more easily instead of being locked into inflexible, multiyear procurement cycles. 2. The President should examine the recommendations of the congressionally mandated Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Reform4 and develop a strategy for implementing those that the Administration considers to be in the best interests of the American people. The commission’s final report is due on September 1, 2023. 3. Develop legislation or other means of providing funding outside the traditional PPBE process for the prototyping and experimentation of emerging technologies that are deemed essential to modernization and future conflict. Consider creating a “fast track” for projects that satisfy the most pressing national security needs. 4. Require the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering, and all service secretaries to conduct “Night Court” and use existing authorities to terminate outdated or underperforming programs so that money can be used for what works and will work. Require the Under Secretaries and service secretaries to brief the Secretary annually on the results. 5. Require the Office of the Secretary of Defense to research and report on the acquisition processes used by America’s adversaries to improve our understanding of how they are often able to innovate and field new technologies on a faster timeline. l Strengthen America’s defense industrial base. 1. Replenish and maintain U.S. stockpiles of ammunition and other equipment that have been depleted as a result of U.S. support to Ukraine. This will strengthen the defense industry supply chain and ensure that adequate inventory exists if it is needed for a future conflict. 2. Collaborate with industry to develop a prioritized list of reforms that the DOD and Congress can enact and implement to incentivize industry to help America’s military innovate and field needed capabilities.

Department of Defense

Moderate
Vector: 62%
Pages: 134-136AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"HR 5977 aligns with Project 2025's goal of improving defense supply chain efficiency and collaboration by streamlining supplier qualification processes, though it does not directly address exportability, FMS contracting timelines, or ITAR reductions specified in the policy."

Key themes:supply chain resiliencydefense industrial basesmall business participationprocurement efficiencypublic-private partnerships

— 101 — Department of Defense 1. Ensure that senior U.S. military leadership emphasizes exportability in the initial development of defense systems that are both available and interoperable with our partners and allies. 2. Create a funding mechanism to incentivize exportability in initial planning, which can be recouped after future FMS transactions. l End informal congressional notification. Informal congressional notification or “tiered review” is a hinderance to ensuring timely sales to our global partners. The tiered review process is not codified in law; it is merely a practice by which the Department of State provides a preview of prospective arms transfers before Congress is formally notified.9 1. End the tiered review process to eliminate at least 20 days from the FMS process. 2. Use the tiered review process only when unanimous congressional support is guaranteed in order to eliminate the “weaponization” by select Members of Congress that has prevented billions of dollars of arms sales from moving into formal congressional notification. l Minimize barriers to collaboration. The high cost of developing advanced defense platforms requires the United States to collaborate with key allies to minimize waste, complement strengths, and supplement our defense industrial base to create a system that is greater than that of the United States alone. 1. Enhance defense industrial base planning with partners to allow them to focus on niche areas where there are cost advantages for the United States. 2. Decrease International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to facilitate trade with such allies as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. 3. Create opportunities to improve the health of the defense supply chain with added opportunities for partners and allies to contribute. l Reform the FMS contracting process. The contracting timeline for the FMS process is shockingly slow. On average, the DOD contracting timeline takes approximately 18 months because of slow bureaucratic processes and chronic understaffing.10

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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