1.This Act may be cited as the
Women’s Business Ownership Act of
2011
.
2.There is established a commission to be
known as the National Commission on Women’s Business Ownership
(in this Act referred to as the Commission).
3.
(a)The Commission shall—
(1)review the status
of women business owners across the United States and the progress made by
women business owners since the 1980 White House Conference on Small
Business;
(2)review the role of
the Federal Government in aiding and promoting women business owners;
and
(3)review data
collection procedures with respect to women-owned businesses, including for
Federal initiatives and procurement, with the goal of recommending improvements
to those procedures.
(b)Based
on the review conducted under subsection (a), the Commission shall develop
recommendations on—
(1)private-sector
initiatives for providing management and technical assistance to women business
owners;
(2)ways to create
greater access to credit for women business owners; and
(3)ways to enhance
Federal procurement opportunities for women business owners.
(c)For purposes of this Act, a business is owned by a
woman if—
(1)the sole owner is
a woman;
(2)50 percent or more
of the partners are women; or
(3)50 percent or more of the stock is owned by
women, if the business is a corporation.
4.
(a)The Commission
shall be composed of 9 members appointed as follows:
(1)Three members
appointed by the President.
(2)Three members
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from a list of 15
individuals nominated for appointment by the chairman of the Committee on Small
Business of the House of Representatives.
(3)Three members
appointed by the majority leader of the Senate from a list of 15 individuals
nominated for appointment by the chairman of the Committee on Small Business
and Entrepreneurship of the Senate.
(b)
(1)Individuals appointed under subsection (a) shall be
specially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of their education,
training, or experience and may not be officers or employees of the Federal
Government or Members of Congress.
(2)Of the 3 members appointed under each of paragraphs
(1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a)—
(A)not more than 2
members appointed under each paragraph may be of the same political
party;
(B)at least one
member appointed under each paragraph shall be a woman; and
(C)at least one
member appointed under each paragraph shall be an individual who is a small
business owner.
(3)In making appointments under subsection (a), the
appointing authorities should give consideration to achieving geographical
balance in the membership of the Commission.
(c)Each
member of the Commission shall be appointed for the life of the Commission,
except that if any member of the Commission becomes an officer or employee of
the Federal Government or a Member of Congress that individual may continue as
a member of the Commission for not longer than the 30-day period beginning on
the date that individual becomes an officer or employee or a Member of
Congress.
(d)A
vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original
appointment was made.
(e)
(1)Members of the Commission shall serve without pay, except
as provided in paragraph (2).
(2)While away from
their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for
the Commission, members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons
employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed travel expenses
under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(f)Five
members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may
hold hearings.
(g)Chairperson and
Vice ChairpersonThe Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the
Commission shall be designated by the President. The term of office of the
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be the life of the Commission.
(h)The
Commission shall meet not less than 4 times, and not more than 6 times, each
year. Meetings shall be at the call of a majority of the members of the
Commission.
5.Director and
Staff of the Commission
(a)
(1)The Commission shall have a Director who shall be
appointed by the Commission. The Commission, with the recommendation of the
Director, may appoint and fix the pay of 4 additional personnel.
(2)Applicability of
certain lawsThe Director and staff of the Commission may be
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service, and may be paid without
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that
title, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that
an individual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of the maximum annual
rate of basic pay payable for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule.
(b)The
Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to
exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable for
grade GS–15 of the General Schedule.
(c)Staff of Federal
AgenciesUpon the request of the Commission, the head of any
Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the
personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist the
Commission in carrying out the duties of the Commission under this Act.
6.
(a)The Commission may,
for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times
and places, take testimony, and receive evidence, as the Commission considers
appropriate.
(b)Any
member or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take
any action which the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
(c)The Commission may secure directly from any
department or agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to
carry out this Act. Upon the request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the
head of a department or agency shall furnish that information to the
Commission.
(d)The Commission may use the United States mails in the same
manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the
United States.
(e)The Administrator of General Services shall provide to
the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative support services
as the Commission may request.
7.The Commission shall transmit to the
President and to Congress interim reports as the Commission considers
appropriate and shall transmit a final report to the President and to Congress
not later than 26 months after the date of the Commission’s first meeting. The
final report shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions
of the Commission, including recommendations for legislation and administrative
actions the Commission considers appropriate.
8.The Commission shall cease to exist on the
date that the Commission transmits its final report to the President and to
Congress.
9.Authorization of
appropriationsThere are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
Act.