[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2243 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2243

 To reauthorize certain programs of the Small Business Administration, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 9, 2000

  Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Cleland, Mrs. 
  Murray, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Abraham, and Mr. Jeffords) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             Small Business

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To reauthorize certain programs of the Small Business Administration, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Women's Business Council 
Reauthorization Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL.

    Section 406 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 631 note) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 406. DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL.

    ``(a) In General.--The Council shall--
            ``(1) provide advice and counsel to the President and to 
        the Congress on economic matters of importance to women 
        business owners;
            ``(2) promote initiatives designed to increase access to 
        capital and to markets, training and technical assistance, 
        research, resources, and leadership opportunities for and about 
        women business owners;
            ``(3) provide a source of information and a catalyst for 
        action to support women's business development;
            ``(4) promote the implementation of the policy agenda, 
        initiatives and recommendations issued at Summit '98, the 
        National Women's Economic Forum;
            ``(5) review, coordinate, and monitor plans and programs 
        developed in the public and private sectors that affect the 
        ability of women-owned small business concerns to obtain 
        capital and credit;
            ``(6) work with--
                    ``(A) the Federal agencies for the purpose of 
                assisting them in meeting the 5 percent women's 
                procurement goal established under section 15(g) of the 
                Small Business Act; and
                    ``(B) the private sector in increasing contracting 
                opportunities for women-owned small business concerns;
            ``(7) promote and assist in the development of a women's 
        business census and other statistical surveys of women-owned 
        small business concerns;
            ``(8) support new and ongoing research on women-owned small 
        business concerns;
            ``(9) monitor and promote the plans, programs, and 
        operations of the departments and agencies of the Federal 
        Government that may contribute to the establishment and growth 
        of women's business enterprise;
            ``(10) develop and promote new initiatives, policies, 
        programs, and plans designed to foster women's business 
        enterprise; and
            ``(11) advise and consult with State and local leaders to 
        develop and implement programs and policies that promote 
        women's business ownership.
    ``(b) Interaction With the Interagency Committee on Women's 
Business Enterprise.--The Council shall--
            ``(1) advise the Interagency Committee on Women's Business 
        Enterprise (in this section referred to as the `Committee') on 
        matters relating to the activities, functions, and policies of 
        the Committee, as provided in this title; and
            ``(2) meet jointly with the Committee at the discretion of 
        the chairperson of the Council and the chairperson of the 
        Committee, but not less frequently than biannually.
    ``(c) Meetings.--The Council shall meet separately at such times as 
the Council deems necessary. A majority of the members of the Council 
shall constitute a quorum for the approval of recommendations or 
reports issued pursuant to this section.
    ``(d)  Recommendations and Reports.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the last 
        day of each fiscal year, the Council shall--
                    ``(A) make recommendations for consideration by the 
                Committee; and
                    ``(B) submit a report to the President, the 
                Committee, the Administrator, the Committee on Small 
                Business of the Senate, and the Committee on Small 
                Business of the House of Representatives, as described 
                in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Contents of reports.--The reports required by 
        paragraph (1) shall contain--
                    ``(A) a detailed description of the activities of 
                the Council during the preceding fiscal year, including 
                a status report on the progress of the Council toward 
                meeting its duties under subsections (a);
                    ``(B) the findings, conclusions, and 
                recommendations of the Council concerning; and
                    ``(C) the recommendations of the Council for such 
                legislation and administrative actions as the Council 
                considers appropriate to promote the development of 
                small business concerns owned and controlled by women.
    ``(e) Separate Submissions.--The Administrator shall submit any 
additional, concurring, or dissenting views or recommendations to the 
President, the Committee, and the Congress separately from any 
recommendations or report submitted by the Council under this 
subsection.''.

SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL.

    Section 407 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 631 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``Not later'' and all 
        that follows through ``the President'' and inserting ``The 
        President'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``Not later'' and all that follows 
                through ``the Administrator'' and inserting ``The 
                Administrator''; and
                    (B) by striking ``the Assistant Administrator of 
                the Office of Women's Business Ownership and'';
            (3) in subsection (d), by striking ``, except that'' and 
        all that follows through the end of the subsection and 
        inserting a period; and
            (4) in subsection (h), by striking ``Not later'' and all 
        that follows through ``the Administrator'' and inserting ``The 
        Administrator''.

SEC. 4. REPEAL OF PROCUREMENT PROJECT; STATE AND LOCAL ECONOMIC 
              NETWORKS.

    Section 409 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 631 note) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 409. STATE AND LOCAL ECONOMIC NETWORKS.

    ``The Council shall work with State and local officials and 
business leaders to develop the infrastructure for women's business 
enterprise for the purpose of increasing women's effectiveness in 
shaping the economic agendas of their States and communities.''.

SEC. 5. STUDIES AND OTHER RESEARCH.

    Section 410 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 631 note) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 410. STUDIES, OTHER RESEARCH, AND ISSUE INITIATIVES.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Authority.--The Council may, as it determines to be 
        appropriate, conduct such studies, research, and issue 
        initiatives relating to--
                    ``(A) the award of Federal, State, local, and 
                private sector prime contracts and subcontracts to 
                women-owned businesses; and
                    ``(B) access to credit and investment capital by 
                women entrepreneurs, and business development 
                assistance programs, including the identification of 
                best practices.
            ``(2) Purposes.--Studies, research, and issue initiatives 
        may be conducted under paragraph (1) for purposes including--
                    ``(A) identification of several focused outreach 
                initiatives in nontraditional industry sectors for the 
                purpose of increasing contract awards to women in those 
                areas;
                    ``(B) supporting the growth and proliferation of 
                programs designed to prepare women to successfully 
                access the equity capital markets;
                    ``(C) continuing to identify and report on 
                financial best practices that have worked to increase 
                credit and capital availability to women business 
                owners; and
                    ``(D) working with Women's Business Centers to 
                develop programs and coordinate activities.
    ``(b) Contract Authority.--In conducting any study or other 
research under this section, the Council may contract with 1 or more 
public or private entities.''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 411 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 631 note) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 411. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this title $1,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2003, 
of which $550,000 shall be available in each such fiscal year to carry 
out sections 409 and 410.
    ``(b) Budget Review.--No amount made available under this section 
for any fiscal year may be obligated or expended by the Council before 
the date on which the Council reviews and approves the operating budget 
of the Council to carry out the responsibilities of the Council for 
that fiscal year.''.
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