[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 257 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 257

  To improve certain programs of the Small Business Administration to 
     better assist small business customers in accessing broadband 
                  technology, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 2, 2011

Ms. Landrieu (for herself and Mr. Kerry) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business 
                          and Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To improve certain programs of the Small Business Administration to 
     better assist small business customers in accessing broadband 
                  technology, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Broadband and 
Emerging Information Technology Enhancement Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that, according to a report by the Federal 
Communications Commission entitled ``Connecting America: The National 
Broadband Plan'', dated March 2010, the Commission recommends that--
            (1) ``To fully implement next-generation technology within 
        its operations, the SBA should also appoint a broadband and 
        emerging IT coordinator. This individual would ensure that SBA 
        programs maintain the requisite broadband expertise, tools and 
        training courses to serve small businesses.'';
            (2) ``Congress should consider ways to leverage existing 
        assistance provided through'' entrepreneurial development 
        programs, ``to focus training on advanced IT and broadband 
        applications'';
            (3) ``Congress could also consider ways to support 
        technology training among women entrepreneurs through'' women's 
        business centers;
            (4) ``The training programs should include an entry-level 
        `Broadband 101' course to give small businesses an introduction 
        to how to capitalize on broadband connectivity, as well as more 
        advanced applications for IT staff.'';
            (5) small and medium enterprise ``IT training should 
        include resources for non-IT staff, such as how to use e-
        commerce tools for sales, streamline finance with online 
        records or leverage knowledge management across an 
        organization.''; and
            (6) ``To facilitate the development of broadband networks, 
        Congress should consider allowing all agencies to set the fees 
        for access to rights-of-way for broadband services on the basis 
        of a direct cost recovery approach, especially in markets 
        currently underserved or unserved by any broadband service 
        provider. The Executive Branch should also develop one or more 
        master contracts for all federal property and buildings 
        covering the placement of wireless towers.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the terms ``Administration'' and ``Administrator'' mean 
        the Small Business Administration and the Administrator 
        thereof, respectively; and
            (2) the term ``small business concern'' has the meaning 
        given that term under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 
        U.S.C. 632).

SEC. 4. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR.

    (a) In General.--The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 45 as section 46; and
            (2) by inserting after section 44 the following:

``SEC. 45. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

    ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `broadband and 
emerging information technology coordinator' means the individual 
assigned the broadband and emerging information technology coordination 
responsibilities of the Administration under subsection (b)(1).
    ``(b) Assignment of Coordinator.--
            ``(1) Assignment of coordinator.--The Administrator shall 
        assign responsibility for coordinating the programs and 
        activities of the Administration relating to broadband and 
        emerging information technology to an individual who--
                    ``(A) shall report directly to the Administrator;
                    ``(B) shall work in coordination with--
                            ``(i) the chief information officer, the 
                        chief technology officer, and the head of the 
                        Office of Technology of the Administration; and
                            ``(ii) any Associate Administrator of the 
                        Administration determined appropriate by the 
                        Administrator;
                    ``(C) has experience developing and implementing 
                telecommunications policy in the private sector or 
                government; and
                    ``(D) has demonstrated significant experience in 
                the area of broadband or emerging information 
                technology.
            ``(2) Responsibilities of coordinator.--The broadband and 
        emerging information technology coordinator shall--
                    ``(A) coordinate programs of the Administration 
                that assist small business concerns in adopting, making 
                innovations in, and using broadband and other emerging 
                information technologies;
                    ``(B) serve as the primary liaison of the 
                Administration to other Federal agencies involved in 
                broadband and emerging information technology policy, 
                including the Department of Commerce, the Department of 
                Agriculture, and the Federal Communications Commission; 
                and
                    ``(C) identify best practices relating to broadband 
                and emerging information technology that may benefit 
                small business concerns.
            ``(3) Travel.--Not more than 20 percent of the hours of 
        service by the broadband and emerging information technology 
        coordinator during any fiscal year shall consist of travel 
        outside the United States to perform official duties.
    ``(c) Broadband and Emerging Technology Training.--
            ``(1) Training.--The Administrator shall provide to 
        employees of the Administration training that--
                    ``(A) familiarizes employees of the Administration 
                with broadband and other emerging information 
                technologies; and
                    ``(B) includes--
                            ``(i) instruction counseling small business 
                        concerns regarding adopting, making innovations 
                        in, and using broadband and other emerging 
                        information technologies; and
                            ``(ii) information on programs of the 
                        Federal Government that provide assistance to 
                        small business concerns relating to broadband 
                        and emerging information technologies.
            ``(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to 
        carry out this subsection.
    ``(d) Reports.--
            ``(1) Biennial report on activities.--Not later than 2 
        years after the date on which the Administrator makes the first 
        assignment of responsibilities under subsection (b), and every 
        2 years thereafter, the broadband and emerging information 
        technology coordinator shall submit to the Committee on Small 
        Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee 
        on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report 
        regarding the programs and activities of the Administration 
        relating to broadband and other emerging information 
        technologies.
            ``(2) Report on federal programs.--Not later than 1 year 
        after the date of enactment of this section, the broadband and 
        emerging information technology coordinator, in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Assistant Secretary of 
        Commerce for Communications and Information, and the Chairman 
        of the Federal Communications Commission, shall submit to the 
        Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate 
        and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the programs of the Federal 
        Government that provide assistance to small business concerns 
        relating to broadband and emerging information technologies, 
        which shall include recommendations, if any, for improving 
        coordination among the programs.''.
    (b) Elimination of Vacant Position Required.--
            (1) Elimination.--Before assigning the first broadband and 
        emerging technologies coordinator under section 45 of the Small 
        Business Act, as added by subsection (a) of this section, the 
        Administrator shall--
                    (A) identify a position within the Administration 
                that is--
                            (i) vacant on the date of enactment of this 
                        Act; and
                            (ii) required to be filled by an employee 
                        in the Senior Executive Service or at GS-15 of 
                        the General Schedule; and
                    (B) eliminate the position identified under 
                subparagraph (A).
            (2) Restriction.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator may not eliminate a position established by the 
        Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.), the Small Business 
        Investment Act 1958 (15 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), or any Federal 
        statute.

SEC. 5. ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 21(c)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
648(c)(3)(B)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting 
        ``accessing broadband and other emerging information 
        technology,'' after ``technology transfer,'';
            (2) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) in clause (iii), by adding ``and'' at the end; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(iv) increasing the competitiveness and 
                productivity of small business concerns by assisting 
                entrepreneurs in accessing broadband and other emerging 
                information technology;''.

SEC. 6. CAPITAL ACCESS.

    (a) In General.--Section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(a)) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting 
``(including to purchase equipment for broadband or other emerging 
information technologies)'' after ``equipment''.
    (b) Microloans.--Section 7(m)(1)(A)(iii)(I) of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 636(m)(1)(A)(iii)(I)) is amended by inserting 
``(including to purchase equipment for broadband or other emerging 
information technologies)'' after ``or equipment''.

SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Administrator 
of General Services, shall submit to the Committee on Small Business 
and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business 
of the House of Representatives a report on ways to assist with the 
development of broadband and wireless technology that would benefit 
small business concerns.
    (b) Content of the Report.--The report submitted under subsection 
(a) shall--
            (1) outline the participation by the Administration in the 
        National Antenna Program, including the number of wireless 
        towers deployed on facilities which contain an office of the 
        Administration;
            (2) information on agreements between the Administration 
        and the General Services Administration related to broadband 
        and wireless deployment in offices of the Administration; and
            (3) recommendations, if any, on opportunities for the 
        Administration to improve broadband or wireless technology in 
        offices of the Administration that are in areas currently 
        underserved or unserved by broadband service providers.
                                 <all>