II 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2608 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 7 (legislative day, February 6), 2008 Ms. Snowe (for herself and Mrs. Dole) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship A BILL To make improvements to the Small Business Act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Small Business Women’s Procurement Program Improvement Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds— (1)based on evidence presented by Congressional witnesses, testimony before Congress, and studies and reports, that women-owned small business concerns are under represented in certain identified industries with respect to Federal procurement contracting; and (2)the women's small business government-wide statutory goal has never been achieved since the time of its enactment.

3.

Small Business Act Program Improvements

Section 8(m) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(m)) is amended— (1)in paragraph (2)(C), by striking (3) and inserting (4); (2)in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the following: (D)the contract is consistent with the requirements set forth in subsection (a)(1)(D)(i); ; (3)by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following: (4)

Identification of industries

(A)

Study required

The Administrator shall conduct a study 5 years after the date on which the program under this section is implemented, to identify industries in which small business concerns owned and controlled by women are underrepresented with respect to Federal procurement contracting. (B)

Presumption relating to underrepresentation

For purposes of this subsection, the industries identified by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System Code as industry codes 11 through 81 (as published by the Bureau of the Census) shall be presumed to be industries in which small business concerns owned and controlled by women are underrepresented with respect to Federal procurement contracting. ; and (4)by adding at the end the following: (7)

No past finding of discrimination required

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a contracting officer need not make a finding of past gender discrimination by a contracting agency in order to comply with or otherwise be subject to the requirements of this subsection. .