110 HR 2992 : SBA Trade Programs Act of
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-09-05
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the SBA Trade Programs Act of
2007
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—Small Business Trade Policy
Sec. 101. Develop and implement small business trade
policies.
Sec. 102. Establish an annual small business trade
strategy.
Sec. 103. Track small business exports and trade resource
utilization.
Title II—Trade Compliance Programs
Sec. 201. Trade Remedy and Dispute Assistance
Initiative.
Sec. 202. Patent Assistance and Intellectual Property
Protections Initiative.
Title III—Trade Adjustment Assistance for Small
Businesses
Sec. 301. Trade Adjustment Assistance Financing
Initiative.
Sec. 302. Technical resources for trade adjustment
assistance.
Title IV—Export Assistance
Sec. 401. Increase Small Business Administration participation
at Export Assistance Centers.
Sec. 402. Increase access to capital for small and medium-sized
exporters.
Sec. 403. Clerical amendment.
Title V—Authorization of Appropriations
Sec. 501. Authorization of appropriations.
<enum>I</enum><header>Small
Business Trade Policy</header>
<section id="H90111872FFAF4D948F000934FBBB87D4"><enum>101.</enum><header>Trade policy
for small business</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22
of the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/649">15 U.S.C. 649</external-xref>) is amended by adding
at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0340DD767905446C99A68F413F9B2CC2" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H89A947F4E47E40C09BAC7CF4D9F50100"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Role in trade
policy</header>
<paragraph id="H387117BC2A5F4F3CA6517BF8DE429F33"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Recommendations</header><text>The
director of the Office shall present recommendations regarding small business
exporters to trade negotiators.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAC0DBF70A0584B2B978D5CF99DAD5FEA"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Development of
trade policies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The director
of the Office shall assist in the development of trade policies that increase
opportunities for small businesses in domestic and foreign markets, including
the removal of trade barriers.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5EB02DA52BBD4EE400F4CA77B7ABE935"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Implementation
of trade policies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The
director of the Office shall assist in the implementation of trade policies
through relationships developed with Federal trade policymakers, particularly
the United States Trade Representative, and transnational organizations, such
as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5A743AB9872E4D1F80AF26F3D004874B"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Small exporter
promotion programs</header><text>The director of the Office shall establish
programs that will boost the export opportunities of entrepreneurs and
encourage transnational organizations, such as the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development, small exporter organizations, and ministries of
foreign governments to support and publicize these programs.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H524643F1ED12468B839722DF1AA0017"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Strategic
alliances</header>
<subparagraph id="H0DBD909182364FD7B4C3B7F05D8975B4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Congressional
notification</header><text>The director of the Office shall notify the
Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate of pending strategic
alliances.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC7F9BE2AC882422980F48D3014EEAB7F"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Follow-up
activities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The director of
the Office shall ensure that planned and documented follow-up activities for
strategic alliances increase trade opportunities for small businesses.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4E46026DC9414FFC8D94E9486D6BE9D3"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Strategic
alliance defined</header><text>In this paragraph, the term <term>strategic
alliance</term> means a working relationship, entered into between the Small
Business Administration and foreign national ministries representing small
business concerns, for the purpose of strengthening trade between United States
small businesses and foreign small businesses by establishing overseas networks
and
buyers.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H5D49E40EE8C949CABDF042BB23C114CD"><enum>102.</enum><header>Establish an
annual small business trade strategy</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 649), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end
the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H21FCA2C927E7496082EAF5B7CABC9B12" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H9FBE65A175564402986F98FC2BB29827"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Annual small
business trade strategy</header>
<paragraph id="H66C071FA83904A0787A890537C32741F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The director of the
Office shall develop and maintain a small business trade strategy that is
contributed as part of the National Export Strategy developed by the Department
of Commerce that includes at least the following components:</text>
<subparagraph id="H238359078E624947B99903494BE11E15"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Strategies to increase small business
export opportunities. The strategies shall include a specific strategy to
increase small business export opportunities to the Asia Pacific Region.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H75D97FAE5BF542C49297BAF170003F9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Recommendations to
increase the competitiveness of domestic small business industries in the
global economy.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCF3288D48F5B49B39C3E231EC6AB4B74"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Recommendations to
protect small businesses from unfair trade practices, including intellectual
property violations.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HEA72D398B8614EED8250644DE3D2DD1C"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Strategies to
expand small business representation in United States trade policy formation
and implementation.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDE8269CF44914317B243DBF372448450"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Coordination
efforts with the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee of the Department of
Commerce, as well as with Federal agencies that also provide trade financing to
small businesses, such as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the
Export-Import Bank.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA836F2B58708450387CAAF7D6E00F0BE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Report</header><text>At
the beginning of each fiscal year, the director shall submit to the Committee
on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report on the small business
trade strategy required by paragraph (1). The report shall cover, at a minimum,
each of the components required by paragraph (1) and shall include specific
policies and objectives and timelines to implement those policies and
objectives.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H6F21CDCF46DF48088BABA1D200B2A749"><enum>103.</enum><header>Track small
business exports and trade resource utilization</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 649), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end
the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA14111B5B961498096C3AE2DA0D72FFA" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H403DC617B81147138E8BB63F29E1C485"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Tracking
system</header>
<paragraph id="H49DFB79D44BB4A80BDD9A36E3860DF47"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The director of the Office shall develop a system to
track small business exports and the use by small businesses of Federal trade
promotion resources. The director shall ensure that the system is consistent
through each Federal agency member of the Trade Promotion Coordinating
Committee.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H556E4707DAC74B980011F7E4DAA92B1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Design
emphasis</header><text>The director shall give particular attention, in
designing the system, to the tracking of data on the trade of services by small
exporters, in consultation with the Department of Commerce.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4BCA614D8FD14FBA88669D92FF913499"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>The
director shall work in consultation with members of the Trade Promotion
Coordinating Committee to ensure that the system is implemented and that the
results of the system are reported annually in the National Export Strategy
conducted by the Trade Promotion Coordinating
Committee.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Trade Compliance
Programs</header>
<section id="HB5BCD343C4954513AC309FAE3F0573DE"><enum>201.</enum><header>Trade Remedy
and Dispute Assistance Initiative</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 649), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end
the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8E2950FF60C54309A3754C4740957C8B" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HEBFA92A3A857463B9EE34561B446E6A"><enum>(k)</enum><header>Trade Remedy and
Dispute Assistance Initiative</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The director of the Office shall design,
and the district offices of the Administration shall implement, a program that
provides technical assistance, counseling services, and reference materials to
assist small businesses navigate the trade dispute and remedy processes. The
program shall include—</text>
<paragraph id="HC43AACE6DC5F415FB19D6B5B7B7C1046"><enum>(1)</enum><text>information on
available resources, procedures, and requirements for trade remedy
investigations;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBEF8E4AEB9E7453284DC19BB3F4DB15"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an approach for
district office staff to provide one-on-one assistance to small businesses
involved in these activities; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB926A651907E407AA2BB319B008FF4C0"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an identification
of legal resources and other tools to ensure small businesses can navigate the
trade dispute and remedy processes
affordably.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H9A434CBC056C465EBBC5D1FF727B1762"><enum>202.</enum><header>Patent
Assistance and Intellectual Property Protections Initiative</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 649), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end
the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA2DCAAC4A1AD465DA32EC0A18FDE76D0" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H9EEE25389E5B4372AF94D375BA008FE0"><enum>(l)</enum><header>Patent
Assistance and Intellectual Property Protections Initiative</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In consultation with the United States
Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, the Office
shall design counseling services, including identifying legal resources for
small businesses to secure intellectual property protection in foreign
countries. To implement the program, the Office shall collaborate with district
office staff to provide on-on-one assistance to small businesses involved in
these
activities.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><enum>III</enum><header>Trade Adjustment
Assistance for Small Businesses</header>
<section id="HC419C27FFB004E308690CEE4F383814E"><enum>301.</enum><header>Trade
Adjustment Assistance Financing Initiative</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 636(a)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H3F1233094A9749E6B6ADF63340466343"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph
(2)(D) by inserting after <quote>paragraph (14)(A),</quote> the following:
<quote>or to participate in a loan made under paragraph (16),</quote>;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H27B3D725FD5E4660930988E6E8B252A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in
paragraph (16)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H95A0037EA3514CD3B408FFA92DE84D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (D)
by striking clauses (i) and (ii) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB702222611354117910129993F924CFA" style="OLC">
<clause id="H69FAFF12C13D408884D6C8EE7685BBC8"><enum>(i)</enum><text>is
impacted by—</text>
<subclause id="H2A3D62820DCC4A90B153012DC7FDA3B"><enum>(I)</enum><text>increased
competition with foreign firms in the relevant market; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H3051BFAA588B42C8999EE4C545989CF"><enum>(II)</enum><text>unfair trade
practices, particularly intellectual property violations; and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H739DC23082824AC184C60754A3A87BA9"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>is injured by
such impacts.</text>
</clause><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0591DCFCE64C4E1399007E5F3C4DAEA"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCEA1F187010547C18175FFD47BE6FB00" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="HEE34750A55BB4FE9937439E201FB008C"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Outreach and
marketing</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Administration
shall increase outreach and marketing of international trade loans to district
offices and private
lenders.</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="HB980696CBBFD42178EC1DFC99E03A3D4"><enum>302.</enum><header>Technical
resources for trade adjustment assistance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 649), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end
the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5F74691D5576441BBC755E7D6B00D5F2" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HFCA822D56A7445529279F65D306729BC"><enum>(m)</enum><header>Technical
resources for trade adjustment assistance</header>
<paragraph id="HFC35A57EC6244110B843AD2DA6B7327"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The director of the Office shall establish a
comprehensive set of services to assist small business readjustment, including
access to training, technology, marketing assistance, and research and
information on domestic and global markets.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA2A84CD8854941ED8DB234236993313"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>The
Administrator shall, by regulation, establish such requirements as may be
necessary to carry out paragraph (1).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4CE500D15FD14F89A1C7C75943D201E9"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Outreach</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Office shall work with the district
offices and the outreach business assistance centers of the Administration,
including Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and
SCORE, to offer the set of services established under paragraph (1) to small
businesses in their local
communities.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><enum>IV</enum><header>Export
Assistance</header>
<section id="H2A37108FF29241B2BFC9179903A8E700"><enum>401.</enum><header>Increase Small
Business Administration participation at Export Assistance
Centers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the
Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/649">15 U.S.C. 649</external-xref>), as amended by this
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H57D6676F0339449689C2006560B6E535" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HB62BF76361354B7AA11278C337D5F036"><enum>(n)</enum><header>Trade finance
positions</header>
<paragraph id="H80C373CDA9014596BE947D00D3AB6C64"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Additional trade
finance specialists</header>
<subparagraph id="HAE02F9D662D14EFD00F9D2301B38A741"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Office, over the 1-year period beginning on the date
of the enactment of this subsection, shall increase the number of trade finance
specialists at Export Assistance Centers by at least 6 and thereafter shall
maintain the number of such trade finance specialists at or above that number.
Candidates for the positions are required to have sufficient qualifications and
experiences.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE9214789EEAE417AA8F6D888CFE7ED4"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Authorization of
appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out subparagraph (A) such sums as may be necessary.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8C251967D6AF4F5C9B03913175000200"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Filling vacant
positions</header><text>The Office, over the 3-month period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this subsection, shall fill all trade finance
positions that have been vacant since 2003. Candidates for the positions are
required to have sufficient qualifications and experiences.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9C994B190D13488B89C7523D9A382A4"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Filling gaps in
high-export-volume areas</header><text>The director of the Office shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="HA747B093C5C24C3782BD4B8536D3CE8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>not later than 1
year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, carry out a national
study to compare the rate of exports from each State and major metropolitan
region to the availability of Administration staff participating in Export
Assistance Centers in such State or region;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H082B3F73055D4704003293F459411D20"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">not later than 2 years after such date of
enactment, design a formula to eliminate gaps between supply of, and demand
for, such staff in areas with high export volumes; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2FDFF441C7B940019E9D4940C67C1400"><enum>(C)</enum><text>request the
additional staff that are required to eliminate such gaps and place them in
those
areas.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HEEDB2757F7AB416EB5444C32FA0058A3"><enum>402.</enum><header>Increase access
to capital for small and medium-sized exporters</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 636(a)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H7D8E5769196B4B15A2663469F301C2A5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph
(2)(D) by amending the heading to read as follows: <quote><header-in-text level="subparagraph" style="OLC">Participation under export working capital and international trade
programs</header-in-text></quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9BBF2FCEEF63487DB9D0058868E370C4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph
(3)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H7E16057D7B7F4F2395F495D37D64D719"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph
(A) by striking <quote>subparagraph (B)</quote> and inserting
<quote>subparagraphs (B) and (C)</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H09F74793081F4EE8B7F8916177F3924D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating
subparagraphs (B) and (C) as (C) and (D), respectively;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H092DED389A394A80819D072D29EF93C2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after
subparagraph (A) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB08F75F115B74024AA1640B8A275DF27" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="H5E9222B9AF1F46BBAA7736A31DF7D952"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if the total amount outstanding and
committed (by participation or otherwise) solely for the purposes provided in
paragraphs (14)(A) and (16) to the borrower from the business loan and
investment fund established by this Act would exceed $2,250,000 (or if the
gross loan amount would exceed $3,000,000), except as provided in subparagraph
(C);</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H69640D37C95D48F89CD9F9DF35A61E5B"><enum>(D)</enum><text>in subparagraph
(C) (as so redesignated) by striking <quote>$1,750,000, of which not more than
$1,250,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$2,250,000, of which not more than
$1,600,000</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="H883E4D477DA84E5385BECE89FAA1E7CA"><enum>403.</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22(c)(5) of
the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/649">15 U.S.C. 649</external-xref>) is amended by
striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon.</text>
</section><enum>V</enum><header>Authorization of
Appropriations</header>
<section id="H10B8944E5CC3481297F8DB5137C5294D"><enum>501.</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
Act and the amendments made by this Act.</text>
</section>
Passed the House of
Representatives September 4, 2007.
Lorraine C. Miller,
Clerk.Jorge E. Sorensen,
Deputy Clerk.