Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Strengthening Our Economy Through Small Business Innovation Act of 2008

Sense of the Senate

It is the sense of the Senate that— (1)this Nation’s small businesses are the source of nearly 50 percent of our country’s employment; (2)small businesses have been and are a leading source of this country’s innovation and entrepreneurial strategies and skills; (3)small technology businesses tend to be highly innovative, play a substantial role in technological advancement, and contribute to the standard of living in this country; (4)the SBIR and STTR programs can result and have resulted in the development and commercialization of new products and processes; (5)the Federal Government should give particular encouragement to small businesses that address priority national interests, including water security, energy innovation, transportation efficiencies and domestic security needs; and (6)the SBIR and STTR programs should be extended for these purposes and the administrative costs associated with such extensions should be borne by the respective Federal departments and agencies.

Extension of termination dates

(a)

SBIR

Section 9(m) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(m)) is amended by striking 2008 and inserting 2022. (b)

STTR

Section 9(n)(1)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(n)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 2009 and inserting 2023.

Increase in the allocation of Federal agency grants for sbir and sttr programs

(a)

SBIR program expenditures

Section 9(f)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(f)(1)) is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following:

(1)not less than 2.5 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2008; (2)not less than 5.0 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2009; (3)not less than 7.5 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2010; and (4)not less than 10.0 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter,

(b)

STTR program expenditures

Section 9(n)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(n)(1)(B)) is amended by striking clauses (i) and (ii) and inserting the following:

(i)not less than 0.3 percent in fiscal year 2008; (ii)not less than 0.6 percent in fiscal year 2009; (iii)not less than 0.8 percent in fiscal year 2010; and (iv)not less than 1.0 percent in fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter.

Increased SBIR and STTR award levels

(a)

SBIR award level

Section 9(j)(2)(D) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(j)(2)(D)) is amended— (1)by striking $100,000 and inserting $300,000; and (2)by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,200,000. (b)

STTR award level

Section 9(p)(2)(B)(ix) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(p)(2)(B)(ix)) is amended— (1)by striking $100,000 and inserting $300,000; and (2)by striking $750,000 and inserting $2,200,000.

Inclusion of energy, security, transportation, and water related research in the list of topics deserving special consideration as sbir research topics

Section 9(g)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(g)(3)) is amended— (1)in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting or pressing research priorities after critical technologies; (2)in subparagraph (A) by striking or at the end; and (3)by adding at the end the following:

(C)the National Academy of Sciences in the final report issued by the America's Energy Future: Technology Opportunities, Risks, and Tradeoffs project that relate to emerging renewable energy, energy efficiency, or renewable fuels technologies, or in subsequent reports relating to such technologies; (D)the National Academy of Sciences in the final report issued by the Transit Research and Development: Federal Role in the National Program project, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration of the Department of Transportation in the report entitled Transportation Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan (2006–2010), or the National Academy of Sciences or the Department of Transportation in subsequent reports relating to transportation and infrastructure; (E)the Committee on Water System Security Research of the National Academy of Sciences in the 2007 report by the committee, entitled Improving the Nation’s Water Security; Opportunities for Research or the 2006 report by the committee, entitled Public Water Distribution Systems: Assessing and Reducing Risks, or by the National Academy of Sciences or the Environmental Protection Agency in subsequent reports relating to improving the Nation’s water supply and security; (F)the Government Accountability Office, in— (i)the report entitled Homeland Security: First Responders' Ability to Detect and Model Hazardous Releases in Urban Areas Is Significantly Limited, GAO–08–180, issued June 27, 2008; (ii)the report entitled Nuclear Security: NRC and DHS Need to Take Additional Steps to Better Track and Detect Radioactive Materials, GAO–08–598, issued June 19, 2008; or (iii)the report entitled Supply Chain Security: Challenges to Scanning 100 Percent of U.S.-Bound Cargo Containers, GAO–08–533T, issued June 12, 2008; or (G)the National Academy of Science, in the report entitled Toward a Safer and More Secure Cyberspace or in subsequent reports by the National Academy of Science relating to cybersecurity and which shall include cybersecurity technologies also designed to protect privacy;

Offset

The Secretary of Defense shall terminate the Airborne Laser program.