[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6320 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6320

To improve the support, training, education, and compliance assistance 
 regarding export licensing requirements provided to small businesses 
                      and medium-sized businesses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2010

 Mr. Courtney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the 
 Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve the support, training, education, and compliance assistance 
 regarding export licensing requirements provided to small businesses 
                      and medium-sized businesses.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Export Support Act of 
2010''.

SEC. 2. EXPORT LICENSING COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE BY COMMERCIAL SERVICE 
              DISTRICT OFFICES.

    Section 2301 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (8), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(10) providing small businesses and medium-sized 
        businesses with support, training, education, and compliance 
        assistance regarding export licensing requirements.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(3)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``The Secretary 
                shall''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraphs:
            ``(B) The Secretary shall assign export licensing 
        compliance specialists to at least 20 district offices (or, at 
        any time when there are 20 or fewer such offices, to all such 
        offices). Such export licensing compliance specialists shall 
        provide small businesses and medium-sized businesses with 
        support, training, education, and compliance assistance 
        regarding export licensing requirements.
            ``(C) In determining whether to assign an export licensing 
        compliance specialist to a district office under subparagraph 
        (B), the Secretary shall take into account the need for such 
        assistance of the small businesses and medium-sized businesses 
        in the region served by the office. In assessing such need, the 
        Secretary shall consider such indicators of the small business 
        and medium-sized business industrial base in the region as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate, including the number of small 
        businesses and medium-sized businesses in the region that have 
        been issued export licenses.''.

SEC. 3. ANNUAL REVIEWS OF COMMERCIAL SERVICE DISTRICT OFFICE STAFFING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the end of each 
fiscal year that ends after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Commerce shall complete a review, with respect to such 
fiscal year, of the level of staffing at each district office of the 
United States and Foreign Commercial Service established under section 
2301(c)(3)(A) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
4721(c)(3)(A)) to determine, for the fiscal year that begins after the 
date of the completion of the review, the level of staffing at each 
office that will enable such office to effectively serve small 
businesses and medium-sized businesses.
    (b) Elements of Review.--A review under subsection (a) shall 
include with respect to each district office--
            (1) a determination of the number of staff employed in the 
        office during the fiscal year in which the review is completed 
        and during each of the preceding 9 fiscal years;
            (2) a determination of the need of small businesses and 
        medium-sized businesses in the region served by the office for 
        the services and assistance described in section 2301(b) of the 
        Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721(b)), as 
        indicated by factors including--
                    (A) the volume of requests made by small businesses 
                and medium-sized businesses to the office for such 
                services and assistance;
                    (B) the number of small businesses and medium-sized 
                businesses in the region that have been issued export 
                licenses; and
                    (C) such other indicators of the small business and 
                medium-sized business industrial base in the region as 
                the Secretary considers appropriate;
            (3) an assessment of the overall performance of the office 
        in providing such services and assistance to small businesses 
        and medium-sized businesses;
            (4) an assessment of whether any changes should be made in 
        the number of staff employed in the office for the fiscal year 
        that begins after the date of the completion of the review, 
        including whether, based on the determination under paragraph 
        (2), an export licensing compliance specialist should be 
        assigned (or continue to be assigned) to the office under 
        section 2301(c)(3)(B) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 4721(c)(3)(B));
            (5) an assessment of whether any changes in funding for the 
        office for such fiscal year will be necessary to implement any 
        changes identified under paragraph (4); and
            (6) such other elements as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (c) Inclusion in President's Budget Submission to Congress.--
            (1) Submission by secretary to president.--For each fiscal 
        year with respect to which a review is completed under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall prepare a report on the 
        review and shall include the report in the submission to the 
        President of materials relating to the budget of the Department 
        of Commerce for the fiscal year that begins after the date of 
        the completion of the review. The Secretary shall include in 
        the report a statement that--
                    (A) assesses the consistency of any budgetary 
                requests made by the Secretary in the submission with 
                the conclusions in the review regarding appropriate 
                levels of staffing and funding; and
                    (B) justifies any inconsistencies between the 
                requests and the conclusions.
            (2) Submission by president to congress.--The President 
        shall include the report submitted under paragraph (1) in the 
        budget of the United States Government submitted to Congress 
        under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, for the 
        fiscal year that begins after the date of the submission of the 
        report to the President by the Secretary. The President shall 
        attach to the report an addendum that--
                    (A) assesses the consistency of the budget with the 
                conclusions in the review regarding appropriate levels 
                of staffing and funding; and
                    (B) justifies any inconsistencies between the 
                budget and the conclusions.

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF EXPORT LICENSING COORDINATORS.

    (a) In General.--Each official described in subsection (c) shall 
designate an export licensing coordinator for the department or agency 
of the official. The export licensing coordinator for a department or 
agency shall be an individual who exercises significant decisionmaking 
authority in the department or agency.
    (b) Duties.--The export licensing coordinator designated for a 
department or agency under subsection (a) shall devise, encourage, and 
coordinate activities by the department or agency that provide small 
businesses and medium-sized businesses with support, training, 
education, and compliance assistance regarding export licensing 
requirements.
    (c) Officials Described.--The officials described in this 
subsection are the following:
            (1) The Secretary of Commerce.
            (2) The Secretary of Defense.
            (3) The Secretary of State.
            (4) The Secretary of the Treasury.
            (5) The Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON EXPORT CONTROL ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF 
              FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Commerce an Interagency Task Force on Export Control Assistance and 
Relief for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (in this section referred 
to as the ``Task Force'').
    (b) Duties of Task Force.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Task 
        Force shall submit to Congress a report containing--
                    (A) recommendations for improving the support, 
                training, education, and compliance assistance 
                regarding export licensing requirements provided to 
                small businesses and medium-sized businesses by the 
                Federal Government, including recommendations regarding 
                any increases in the amount or changes in the 
                allocation of resources for such support, training, 
                education, and compliance assistance;
                    (B) recommendations for changes to such 
                requirements to improve opportunities for small 
                businesses and medium-sized businesses to export goods 
                and services from the United States; and
                    (C) such other recommendations as the Task Force 
                considers appropriate.
            (2) Input from businesses.--The Task Force shall consult 
        with small businesses and medium-sized businesses in preparing 
        the report required by paragraph (1).
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of the 
        officials described in section 4(c).
            (2) Compensation.--A member of the Task Force may not 
        receive pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of service on 
        the Task Force in addition to pay, allowances, or benefits by 
        reason of service as an officer of the United States in the 
        capacity listed in section 4(c) in which the member serves.
            (3) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Task Force shall 
        be elected by the members.
            (4) Quorum.--Three members of the Task Force shall 
        constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (d) Administrative and Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Chairperson, the Secretary of Commerce shall provide to the Task Force, 
without reimbursement, such administrative and support services, 
including details of personnel, as may be necessary to enable the Task 
Force to carry out its duties under this section.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Small Business Defined.--In this Act, the term ``small 
business'' means a small business concern, as defined under section 3 
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
    (b) Additional Definition for Sections 4 and 5.--In sections 4 and 
5, the term ``export licensing requirements'' includes export licensing 
requirements under section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
2778).
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