The Daily Scoop Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: Agency software-buying bill advances in the House
Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Billy Mitchell

Main Theme

This episode focuses on recent legislative actions in the House concerning federal government technology and software procurement. The main stories are:

• The advancement of the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SOMOZA) Act
• The passage of an SBA IT modernization bill responding to a problematic platform rollout

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. SOMOZA Act Progresses in the House

• [00:32] The SOMOZA Act, intended to reform government software procurement, has cleared the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, positioning it for a full House vote.
• The bill would require agencies to assess existing software licensing and streamline future IT acquisitions to prevent redundancy.
• Legislative History:
  • Reintroduced in the House in September after the Senate acted in July.
  • Passed in the House last year, but stalled in the Senate.
  • Has support from major software and IT trade groups, including:
    • Computer and Communications Industry Association
    • Alliance for Digital Innovation
    • NetChoice
    • Open Policy
    • Software Information Industry Association
• Speaker Quote:
  • "The current iteration of the SOMOZA Act is identical to what was passed in the chamber last year." — Billy Mitchell, summarizing Chairman James Comey's remark ([01:23])
• Congress has attempted to pass the legislation since at least 2022, underscoring the persistent challenge of government software asset management.

2. SBA Modernization Bill Responds to Tech Rollout Failures

• [01:37] The House passed a bill requiring the Small Business Administration to address nearly a dozen GAO recommendations about its problematic unified certification platform (UCP).
• Background:
  • The UCP was launched in 2023 to improve access for small businesses to SBA contract assistance.
  • The rollout encountered significant issues:
    • Deployment delays
    • A pause in application processing in August 2024
    • Concerns about incomplete data migration and system security upon later launch
• Speaker Quote:
  • "The failed portal rollout resulted in delays, errors and cybersecurity risks, shutting out small businesses from vital government contracting opportunities." — Billy Mitchell, summarizing Chairman Roger Williams' remarks ([02:34])
• The SBA IT Modernization Reporting Act, led by Reps. Gil Cisneros (D-CA) and Brian Jack (R-GA), aims to ensure better management and oversight of SBA’s digital projects going forward.

Memorable Quotes

• On legislative persistence:
  • "Congress has been trying to move forward with the SOMOZA Act since at least 2022." — Billy Mitchell, ([01:12])
• On the impact of IT failures:
  • "Shutting out small businesses from the vital government contracting opportunities." — summarizing Roger Williams ([02:38])

Notable Timestamps

• [00:32] – SOMOZA Act advancement overview
• [01:23] – Details on House and Senate legislative process/committee remark
• [01:37] – Transition to SBA IT Modernization story
• [02:34] – House Small Business Committee Chair’s remarks on UCP failures

Tone & Language

• Informative and succinct, with a clear focus on legislative process and technological impact.
• Balanced reporting; quotes used to convey official sentiment and underscore the urgency behind legislative actions.

Summary Table

| Segment | Timestamps | Key Points | |---------------------|-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | SOMOZA Act | 00:32–01:37 | House advances software asset management bill; longstanding effort; trade group support | | SBA Modernization | 01:37–02:34 | Bill compels SBA to fix issues after tech platform rollout fails; aims to protect small business |

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