[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4253 Engrossed in House (EH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4253
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To improve and expand small business assistance programs for veterans
of the armed forces and military reservists, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Military Reservist
and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act of
2007''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 101. Increased funding for the Office of Veterans Business
Development.
Sec. 102. Interagency task force.
Sec. 103. Permanent extension of SBA Advisory Committee on Veterans
Business Affairs.
Sec. 104. Office of Veterans Business Development.
Sec. 105. Increasing the number of outreach centers.
Sec. 106. Independent study on gaps in availability of outreach
centers.
TITLE II--NATIONAL RESERVIST ENTERPRISE TRANSITION AND SUSTAINABILITY
Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Purpose.
Sec. 203. National Guard and Reserve business assistance.
Sec. 204. Veterans Assistance and Services program.
TITLE III--RESERVIST PROGRAMS
Sec. 301. Reservist programs.
Sec. 302. Reservist loans.
Sec. 303. Noncollateralized loans.
Sec. 304. Loan priority.
Sec. 305. Relief from time limitations for veteran-owned small
businesses.
Sec. 306. Service-disabled veterans.
Sec. 307. Study on options for promoting positive working relations
between employers and their Reserve
Component employees.
Sec. 308. Increased Veteran Participation Program.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``activated'' means receiving an order placing
a Reservist on active duty;
(2) the term ``active duty'' has the meaning given that
term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code;
(3) the terms ``Administration'' and ``Administrator'' mean
the Small Business Administration and the Administrator
thereof, respectively;
(4) the term ``Reservist'' means a member of a reserve
component of the Armed Forces, as described in section 10101 of
title 10, United States Code;
(5) the term ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' means
the Service Corps of Retired Executives authorized by section
8(b)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1));
(6) the terms ``service-disabled veteran'' and ``small
business concern'' have the meaning as in section 3 of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632);
(7) the term ``small business development center'' means a
small business development center described in section 21 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648); and
(8) the term ``women's business center'' means a women's
business center described in section 29 of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 656).
TITLE I--VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
SEC. 101. INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Office of Veterans Business Development of the Administration, to
remain available until expended--
(1) $2,100,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
(2) $2,300,000 for fiscal year 2009.
(b) Funding Offset.--Amounts necessary to carry out subsection (a)
shall be offset and made available through the reduction of the
authorization of funding under section 20(e)(1)(B)(iv) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 note).
(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that any
amounts provided pursuant to this section that are in excess of amounts
provided to the Administration for the Office of Veterans Business
Development in fiscal year 2007, should be used to support Veterans
Business Outreach Centers.
SEC. 102. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.
Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as (f); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Interagency Task Force.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of enactment of this subsection, the President shall establish
an interagency task force to coordinate the efforts of Federal
agencies necessary to increase capital and business development
opportunities for, and increase the award of Federal
contracting and subcontracting opportunities to, small business
concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans and
small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans (in
this section referred to as the `task force').
``(2) Membership.--The members of the task force shall
include--
``(A) the Administrator, who shall serve as
chairperson of the task force;
``(B) a senior level representative from--
``(i) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
``(ii) the Department of Defense;
``(iii) the Administration (in addition to
the Administrator);
``(iv) the Department of Labor;
``(v) the Department of the Treasury;
``(vi) the General Services Administration;
and
``(vii) the Office of Management and
Budget; and
``(C) 4 representatives from a veterans service
organization or military organization or association,
selected by the President.
``(3) Duties.--The task force shall coordinate
administrative and regulatory activities and develop proposals
relating to--
``(A) increasing capital access and capacity of
small business concerns owned and controlled by
service-disabled veterans and small business concerns
owned and controlled by veterans through loans, surety
bonding, and franchising;
``(B) increasing access to Federal contracting and
subcontracting for small business concerns owned and
controlled by service-disabled veterans and small
business concerns owned and controlled by veterans
through expanded mentor-protege assistance and matching
such small business concerns with contracting
opportunities;
``(C) increasing the integrity of certifications of
status as a small business concern owned and controlled
by service-disabled veterans or a small business
concern owned and controlled by veterans;
``(D) reducing paperwork and administrative burdens
on veterans in accessing business development and
entrepreneurship opportunities;
``(E) increasing and improving training and
counseling services provided to small business concerns
owned and controlled by veterans; and
``(F) making other improvements relating to the
support for veterans business development by the
Federal Government.
``(4) Reporting.--The task force shall submit an annual
report regarding its activities and proposals to--
``(A) the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate; and
``(B) the Committee on Small Business and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives.''.
SEC. 103. PERMANENT EXTENSION OF SBA ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS
BUSINESS AFFAIRS.
(a) Assumption of Duties.--Section 33 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 657c) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (h); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (i) through (k) as
subsections (h) through (j), respectively.
(b) Permanent Extension of Authority.--Section 203 of the Veterans
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 (15 U.S.C.
657b note) is amended by striking subsection (h).
SEC. 104. OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b), as amended
by section 102, is further amended by inserting after subsection (c)
(as added by section 102) the following:
``(d) Participation in TAP Workshops.--
``(1) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall
increase veteran outreach by ensuring that Veteran Business
Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide basis,
in the workshops of the Transition Assistance Program of the
Department of Labor.
``(2) Presentations.--In carrying out paragraph (1), a
Center may provide grants to eligible entities located in
Transition Assistance Program locations to make presentations
on the opportunities available from the Administration for
recently separating veterans. Each such presentation must
include, at a minimum, the entrepreneurial and business
training resources available from the Administration.
``(3) Written materials.--The Associate Administrator of
Veterans Business Development shall create written materials
that provide comprehensive information on self-employment and
veterans entrepreneurship, including information on Small
Business Administration resources available for such topics,
and shall make these materials available for inclusion in the
Transition Assistance Program manual.
``(4) Reports.--The Associate Administrator shall submit to
Congress progress reports on the implementation of this
subsection.
``(e) Women Veterans Business Training Resource Program.--The
Associate Administrator shall establish a Women Veterans Business
Training Resource Program. The program shall--
``(1) compile information on resources available to women
veterans for business training, including resources for--
``(A) vocational and technical education;
``(B) general business skills, such as marketing
and accounting; and
``(C) business assistance programs targeted to
women veterans; and
``(2) disseminate the information through Veteran Business
Outreach Centers and women's business centers.''.
SEC. 105. INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OUTREACH CENTERS.
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall use
the authority in section 8(b)(17) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(b)(17)) to ensure that the number of Veterans Business Outreach
Centers throughout the United States increases--
(1) by at least 2, for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009,
in accordance with funding provided in sections 101(a)(1) and
(a)(2) of this Act; and
(2) by the number that the Administrator considers
appropriate, based on existing need, for each fiscal year
thereafter.
SEC. 106. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON GAPS IN AVAILABILITY OF OUTREACH
CENTERS.
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall
sponsor an independent study on gaps in the availability of Veterans
Business Outreach Centers across the United States. The purpose of the
study shall be to identify the gaps that do exist so as to inform
decisions on funding and on the allocation and coordination of
resources. Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the
results of the study.
TITLE II--NATIONAL RESERVIST ENTERPRISE TRANSITION AND SUSTAINABILITY
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``National Reservist Enterprise
Transition and Sustainability Act of 2007''.
SEC. 202. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this title is to establish a program to--
(1) provide managerial, financial, planning, development,
technical, and regulatory assistance to small business concerns
owned and operated by Reservists;
(2) provide managerial, financial, planning, development,
technical, and regulatory assistance to the temporary heads of
small business concerns owned and operated by Reservists;
(3) create a partnership between the Small Business
Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Department
of Veterans Affairs to assist small business concerns owned and
operated by Reservists;
(4) utilize the service delivery network of small business
development centers, women's business centers, Veterans
Business Outreach Centers, and centers receiving funding from
the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, and any
other Veterans Business Assistance program which receives
federal funding, to expand the access of small business
concerns owned and operated by Reservists to programs providing
business management, development, financial, procurement,
technical, regulatory, and marketing assistance;
(5) utilize the service delivery network of small business
development centers, women's business centers, Veterans
Business Outreach Centers, and centers receiving funding from
the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, and any
other Veterans Business Assistance program which receives
federal funding, to quickly respond to an activation of
Reservists that own and operate small business concerns; and
(6) utilize the service delivery network of small business
development centers, women's business centers, Veterans
Business Outreach Centers, and centers receiving funding from
the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, and any
other Veterans Business Assistance program which receives
federal funding, to assist Reservists that own and operate
small business concerns in preparing for future military
activations.
SEC. 203. NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.
The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 37 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) as
section 38; and
(2) by inserting after section 36 the following:
``SEC. 37. RESERVIST ENTERPRISE TRANSITION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish a program to
provide business planning assistance to small business concerns owned
and operated by Reservists.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the terms `activated' and `activation' mean having
received an order placing a Reservists on active duty, as
defined by section 101(1) of title 10, United States Code;
``(2) the term `Administrator' means the Administrator of
the Small Business Administration, acting through the Associate
Administrator for Small Business Development Centers;
``(3) the term `Association' means the association
established under section 21(a)(3)(A);
``(4) the term `eligible applicant' means--
``(A) a small business development center that is
accredited under section 21(k);
``(B) a women's business center;
``(C) a Veterans Business Outreach Center that
receives funds from the Office of Veterans Business
Development;
``(D) an information and assistance center
receiving funding from the National Veterans Business
Development Corporation under section 33; or
``(E) any other Veterans Business Assistance
program which receives federal funding;
``(5) the term `enterprise transition and sustainability
assistance' means assistance provided by an eligible applicant
to a small business concern owned and operated by a Reservist,
who has been activated or is likely to be activated in the next
12 months, to develop and implement a business strategy for the
period while the owner is on active duty and 6 months after the
date of the return of the owner;
``(6) the term `Reservist' means any person who is--
``(A) a member of a reserve component of the Armed
Forces, as defined by section 10101 of title 10, United
States Code; and
``(B) on active status, as defined by section
101(d)(4) of title 10, United States Code;
``(7) the term `small business development center' means a
small business development center as described in section 21 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648);
``(8) the term `State' means each of the several States of
the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam;
and
``(9) the term `women's business center' means a women's
business center described in section 29 of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 656).
``(c) Authority.--The Administrator may award grants, in accordance
with the regulations developed under subsection (d), to eligible
applicants to assist small business concerns owned and operated by
Reservists by--
``(1) providing management, development, financing,
procurement, technical, regulatory, and marketing assistance;
``(2) providing access to information and resources,
including Federal and State business assistance programs;
``(3) distributing contact information provided by the
Department of Defense regarding activated Reservists to
corresponding State directors;
``(4) offering free, one-on-one, in-depth counseling
regarding management, development, financing, procurement,
regulations, and marketing;
``(5) assisting in developing a long-term plan for possible
future activation; and
``(6) providing enterprise transition and sustainability
assistance.
``(d) Other Federal Departments and Agencies.--The Administrator
shall make available informational materials established by this
section to other Federal departments and agencies for their own
internal programs.
``(e) Rulemaking.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator, in consultation with
the Association and after notice and an opportunity for
comment, shall promulgate regulations to carry out this
section.
``(2) Deadline.--The Administrator shall promulgate final
regulations not later than 180 days of the date of enactment of
the Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business
Reauthorization and Opportunity Act of 2007.
``(3) Contents.--The regulations developed by the
Administrator under this subsection shall establish--
``(A) procedures for identifying, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, States that have had a
recent activation of Reservists;
``(B) priorities for the types of assistance to be
provided under the program authorized by this section;
``(C) standards relating to educational, technical,
and support services to be provided by a grantee;
``(D) standards relating to any national service
delivery and support function to be provided by a
grantee;
``(E) standards relating to any work plan that the
Administrator may require a grantee to develop; and
``(F) standards relating to the educational,
technical, and professional competency of any expert or
other assistance provider to whom a small business
concern may be referred for assistance by a grantee.
``(f) Application.--
``(1) In general.--Each eligible applicant desiring a grant
under this section shall submit an application to the
Administrator at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by
such information as the Administrator may reasonably require.
``(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall describe--
``(A) the activities for which the applicant seeks
assistance under this section; and
``(B) how the applicant plans to allocate funds
within its network.
``(g) Award of Grants.--
``(1) Deadline.--The Administrator shall award grants not
later than 60 days after the promulgation of final rules and
regulations under subsection (e).
``(2) Amount.--Each eligible applicant awarded a grant
under this section shall receive a grant in an amount not
greater than $300,000 per fiscal year.
``(h) Report.--
``(1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall--
``(A) initiate an evaluation of the program not
later than 30 months after the disbursement of the
first grant under this section; and
``(B) submit a report not later than 6 months after
the initiation of the evaluation under paragraph (1)
to--
``(i) the Administrator;
``(ii) the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
``(iii) the Committee on Small Business of
the House of Representatives.
``(2) Contents.--The report under paragraph (1) shall--
``(A) address the results of the evaluation
conducted under paragraph (1); and
``(B) recommend changes to law, if any, that it
believes would be necessary or advisable to achieve the
goals of this section.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section--
``(A) $5,000,000 for the first fiscal year
beginning after the date of enactment of the Military
Reservist and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization
and Opportunity Act of 2007; and
``(B) $5,000,000 for the fiscal year following the
fiscal year described in subparagraph (A).
``(2) Funding offset.--Amounts necessary to carry out this
section shall be offset and made available through the
reduction of the authorization of funding under section
20(e)(1)(B)(iv) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631
note).''.
SEC. 204. VETERANS ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES PROGRAM.
Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(n) Veterans Assistance and Services Program.--
``(1) In general.--A Small Business Development Center may
apply for an additional grant to carry out a veterans
assistance and services program.
``(2) Elements of program.--Under a program under paragraph
(1), the Center shall--
``(A) create a marketing campaign to promote
awareness and education of the services of the Center
that are available to veterans, and to target the
campaign toward veterans, disabled veterans, military
units, Federal agencies, and veterans organizations;
``(B) use technology-assisted online counseling and
distance learning technology to overcome the
impediments to entrepreneurship faced by veterans and
members of the Armed Forces; and
``(C) increase coordination among organizations
that assist veterans, including by establishing virtual
integration of service providers and offerings for a
one-stop point of contact for veterans who are
entrepreneurs or small business owners.
``(3) Minimum amount.--Each grant under this subsection
shall be for at least $75,000.
``(4) Maximum amount.--A grant under this subsection may
not exceed $250,000.
``(5) Funding.--Subject to amounts approved in advance in
appropriations Acts, the Administration may make grants or
enter into cooperative agreements to carry out the provisions
of this subsection.''.
TITLE III--RESERVIST PROGRAMS
SEC. 301. RESERVIST PROGRAMS.
(a) Application Period.--Section 7(b)(3)(C) of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(3)(C)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``90 days'' and inserting ``1 year''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following: ``The Administrator
may, when appropriate (as determined by the Administrator),
waive the ending date specified in the preceding sentence and
provide a later ending date.''.
(b) Pre-Consideration Process.--
(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``eligible
Reservist'' means a Reservist who--
(A) has not been ordered to active duty;
(B) expects to be ordered to active duty during a
period of military conflict; and
(C) can reasonably demonstrate that the small
business concern for which that Reservist is a key
employee will suffer economic injury in the absence of
that Reservist.
(2) Establishment.--Not later than 6 months after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a
pre-consideration process, under which the Administrator--
(A) may collect all relevant materials necessary
for processing a loan to a small business concern under
section 7(b)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
636(b)(3)) before an eligible Reservist employed by
that small business concern is activated; and
(B) shall distribute funds for any loan approved
under subparagraph (A) if that eligible Reservist is
activated.
(c) Outreach and Technical Assistance Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense,
shall develop a comprehensive outreach and technical assistance
program (in this subsection referred to as the ``program'')
to--
(A) market the loans available under section
7(b)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(3))
to Reservists, and family members of Reservists, that
are on active duty and that are not on active duty; and
(B) provide technical assistance to a small
business concern applying for a loan under that
section.
(2) Components.--The program shall--
(A) incorporate appropriate websites maintained by
the Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs,
and the Department of Defense; and
(B) require that information on the program is made
available to small business concerns directly through--
(i) the district offices and resource
partners of the Administration, including small
business development centers, women's business
centers, and the Service Corps of Retired
Executives; and
(ii) other Federal agencies, including the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense.
(3) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, and every 6 months
thereafter until the date that is 30 months after such
date of enactment, the Administrator shall submit to
Congress a report on the status of the program.
(B) Contents.--Each report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall include--
(i) for the 6-month period ending on the
date of that report--
(I) the number of loans approved
under section 7(b)(3) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(3));
(II) the number of loans disbursed
under that section; and
(III) the total amount disbursed
under that section; and
(ii) recommendations, if any, to make the
program more effective in serving small
business concerns that employ Reservists.
SEC. 302. RESERVIST LOANS.
(a) In General.--Section 7(b)(3)(E) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 636(b)(3)(E)) is amended by striking ``$1,500,000'' each place
such term appears and inserting ``$2,000,000''.
(b) Loan Information.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator and the Secretary of
Defense shall develop a joint website and printed materials
providing information regarding any program for small business
concerns that is available to veterans or Reservists.
(2) Marketing.--The Administrator is authorized--
(A) to advertise and promote the program under
section 7(b)(3) of the Small Business Act jointly with
the Secretary of Defense and veterans' service
organizations; and
(B) to advertise and promote participation by
lenders in such program jointly with trade associations
for banks or other lending institutions.
SEC. 303. NONCOLLATERALIZED LOANS.
Section 7(b)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(3)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(G)(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, the Administrator may make a loan under this
paragraph of not more than $50,000 without collateral.
``(ii) The Administrator may defer payment of
principal and interest on a loan described in clause
(i) during the longer of--
``(I) the 1-year period beginning on the
date of the initial disbursement of the loan;
and
``(II) the period during which the relevant
essential employee is on active duty.''.
SEC. 304. LOAN PRIORITY.
Section 7(b)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(3)), as
amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(H) The Administrator shall give priority to any
application for a loan under this paragraph and shall
process and make a determination regarding such
applications prior to processing or making a
determination on other loan applications under this
subsection, on a rolling basis.''.
SEC. 305. RELIEF FROM TIME LIMITATIONS FOR VETERAN-OWNED SMALL
BUSINESSES.
Section 3(q) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(q)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Relief from time limitations.--
``(A) In general.--Any time limitation on any
qualification, certification, or period of
participation imposed under this Act on any program
that is not subject to the Federal Credit Reform Act of
1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.) and is available to small
business concerns shall be extended for a small
business concern that--
``(i) is owned and controlled by--
``(I) a veteran who was called or
ordered to active duty under a
provision of law specified in section
101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United
States Code, on or after September 11,
2001; or
``(II) a service-disabled veteran
who became such a veteran due to an
injury or illness incurred or
aggravated in the active military,
naval, or air service during a period
of active duty pursuant to a call or
order to active duty under a provision
of law referred to in subclause (I) on
or after September 11, 2001; and
``(ii) was subject to the time limitation
during such period of active duty.
``(B) Duration.--Upon submission of proper
documentation to the Administrator, the extension of a
time limitation under subparagraph (A) shall be equal
to the period of time that such veteran who owned or
controlled such a concern was on active duty as
described in that subparagraph.
``(C) Exception for programs subject to federal
credit reform act of 1990.--The provisions of
subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall not apply to any
programs subject to the Federal Credit Reform Act of
1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.).''.
SEC. 306. SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the
Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report
describing--
(1) the types of assistance needed by service-disabled
veterans who wish to become entrepreneurs; and
(2) any resources that would assist such service-disabled
veterans.
SEC. 307. STUDY ON OPTIONS FOR PROMOTING POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONS
BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND THEIR RESERVE COMPONENT EMPLOYEES.
(a) Study Required.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall conduct a study on options for promoting positive working
relations between employers and Reserve component employees of such
employers, including assessing options for improving the time in which
employers of Reservists are notified of the call or order of such
members to active duty other than for training.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
report on the study conducted under subsection (a).
(2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1)
shall--
(A) provide a quantitative and qualitative
assessment of--
(i) what measures, if any, are being taken
to inform Reservists of the obligations and
responsibilities of such members to their
employers;
(ii) how effective such measures have been;
and
(iii) whether there are additional measures
that could be taken to promote positive working
relations between Reservists and their
employers, including any steps that could be
taken to ensure that employers are timely
notified of a call to active duty; and
(B) assess whether there has been a reduction in
the hiring of Reservists by business concerns because
of--
(i) any increase in the use of Reservists
after September 11, 2001; or
(ii) any change in any policy of the
Department of Defense relating to Reservists
after September 11, 2001.
(c) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Small Business of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 308. INCREASED VETERAN PARTICIPATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
636(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(32) Increased veteran participation program.--The
Administrator shall carry out an Increased Veteran
Participation Program. For a loan made under this paragraph,
the following shall apply:
``(A) The loan shall be made to a business concern
the majority ownership interest of which is directly
held by individuals who are veterans of the Armed
Forces or members of the reserve components of the
Armed Forces.
``(B) The loan shall include the participation by
the Administration equal to 90 percent of the balance
of the financing outstanding at the time of
disbursement.
``(C) The fees on the loan under paragraphs (18)
and (23) shall not apply.''.
(b) Notice and Comment.--The program required by section 7(a)(32)
of the Small Business Act, as added by subsection (a), shall be
established after the opportunity for notice and comment and not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives December 6, 2007.
Attest:
Clerk.
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4253
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To improve and expand small business assistance programs for veterans
of the armed forces and military reservists, and for other purposes.