[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3262 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3262

To reauthorize the women's entrepreneurial development programs of the 
         Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 14, 2008

Mrs. Hutchison introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
    referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reauthorize the women's entrepreneurial development 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``SBA Women's 
Business Programs Act of 2008''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
               TITLE I--NATIONAL WOMEN'S BUSINESS COUNCIL

Sec. 101. Annual studies on problems hindering the success of women 
                            entrepreneurs.
Sec. 102. Additional progress reports.
                   TITLE II--WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS

Sec. 201. Revised funding formula.
Sec. 202. Matchmaking formula change.
Sec. 203. Termination of funding.
Sec. 204. Women's business center awards to be made public.

               TITLE I--NATIONAL WOMEN'S BUSINESS COUNCIL

SEC. 101. ANNUAL STUDIES ON PROBLEMS HINDERING THE SUCCESS OF WOMEN 
              ENTREPRENEURS.

    Section 409 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 7109) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Problems Hindering the Success of Women Entrepreneurs.--The 
Council shall conduct at least one study per year that evaluates the 
problems hindering the success of women entrepreneurs. The Council 
shall select the topic for the study in consultation with the Committee 
on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate.''.

SEC. 102. ADDITIONAL PROGRESS REPORTS.

    Section 406(d)(4) of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 
U.S.C. 7106(d)(4)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon at the 
end the following: ``, and on a biannual basis (notwithstanding 
paragraph (6)) submit to the President and to the Committee on Small 
Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
Business of the House of Representatives a report containing a 
description of, and the status of, such initiatives, policies, 
programs, and plans''.

                   TITLE II--WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS

SEC. 201. REVISED FUNDING FORMULA.

    Section 29(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(b)) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Authority.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator may provide financial 
        assistance to private nonprofit organizations to conduct 
        projects for the benefit of small business concerns owned and 
        controlled by women. The projects shall provide--
                    ``(A) financial assistance, including training and 
                counseling in how to apply for and secure business 
                credit and investment capital, preparing and presenting 
                financial statements, and managing cash flow and other 
                financial operations of a business concern;
                    ``(B) management assistance, including training and 
                counseling in how to plan, organize, staff, direct, and 
                control each major activity and function of a small 
                business concern; and
                    ``(C) marketing assistance, including training and 
                counseling in identifying and segmenting domestic and 
                international market opportunities, preparing and 
                executing marketing plans, developing pricing 
                strategies, locating contract opportunities, 
                negotiating contracts, and utilizing varying public 
                relations and advertising techniques.
            ``(2) Tiers.--The Administrator shall provide assistance 
        under paragraph (1) in three tiers of assistance as follows:
                    ``(A) The first tier shall be to conduct a 5-year 
                project in a situation where a project has not 
                previously been conducted. Such a project shall be in a 
                total amount of not more than $150,000 per year.
                    ``(B) The second tier shall be to conduct a 3-year 
                project in a situation where a first-tier project is 
                being completed. Such a project shall be in a total 
                amount of not more than $100,000 per year.
                    ``(C) The third tier shall be to conduct a 3-year 
                project in a situation where a second-tier project is 
                being completed. Such a project shall be in a total 
                amount of not more than $100,000 per year. Third-tier 
                grants are renewable subject to established eligibility 
                criteria as well as criteria in subsection (b)(4).
            ``(3) Allocation of funds.--Of the amounts made available 
        for assistance under this subsection, the Administrator shall 
        allocate--
                    ``(A) at least 40 percent for first-tier projects 
                under paragraph (2)(A);
                    ``(B) 20 percent for second-tier projects under 
                paragraph (2)(B); and
                    ``(C) the remainder for third-tier projects under 
                paragraph (2)(C).
            ``(4) Benchmarks for third-tier projects.--In awarding 
        third-tier projects under paragraph (2)(C), the Administrator 
        shall use benchmarks based on socio-economic factors in the 
        community and on the performance of the applicant. The 
        benchmarks shall include--
                    ``(A) the total number of women served by the 
                project;
                    ``(B) the proportion of low income women and socio-
                economic distribution of clients served by the project;
                    ``(C) the proportion of individuals in the 
                community that are socially or economically 
                disadvantaged (based on median income);
                    ``(D) the future fundraising and service 
                coordination plans;
                    ``(E) the diversity of services provided; and
                    ``(F) regional distribution within the 10 districts 
                of the Administration.''.

SEC. 202. MATCHMAKING FORMULA CHANGE.

    Section 29(c)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(c)(1)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B); and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(A) For the first and second years of the 
                project, 1 non-Federal dollar for each 2 Federal 
                dollars.
                    ``(B) Each year after the second year of the 
                project--
                            ``(i) 1 non-Federal dollar for each Federal 
                        dollar; or
                            ``(ii) if the center is in a community at 
                        least 50 percent of the population of which is 
                        below the median income, 1 non-Federal dollar 
                        for each 2 Federal dollars.''.

SEC. 203. TERMINATION OF FUNDING.

    Section 29(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(c)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) Termination.--An organization that has conducted a 
        project under this subsection--
                    ``(A) is not eligible to conduct another such 
                project; and
                    ``(B) may continue thereafter to use the women's 
                business center logo only with the consent of the 
                Administrator.''.

SEC. 204. WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER AWARDS TO BE MADE PUBLIC.

    Section 29(g)(2)(B)(ii)(V) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
656(g)(2)(B)(ii)(V)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon at 
the end the following: ``, and make available to the public the award 
made to each applicant so selected''.
                                 <all>