1.Short
title; table of contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Small Business Export Growth
Act of 2012
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of
contents.
TITLE I—Improved coordination of export promotion
programs
Sec. 101. Consolidation of duplicative export promotion
activities; information about trade missions and trade fairs.
Sec. 102. Clarification of roles of members of Trade Promotion
Coordinating Committee.
Sec. 103. Representative of State agencies on Trade Promotion
Coordinating Committee.
Sec. 104. Reports to Congress with respect to activities of
Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee.
Sec. 105. Report on improvements to Export.gov as a single
window for export information.
Sec. 106. Report on developing a single window for information
about export control compliance.
TITLE II—Facilitation of export opportunities for small
businesses
Sec. 201. Definitions.
Sec. 202. Promotion of exporting.
Sec. 203. Small business export matchmaking pilot
program.
Sec. 204. Export control education.
Sec. 205. Small business inter-agency task force on export
financing.
Sec. 206. Availability of State resource guides on
Export.gov.
<enum>I</enum><header>Improved
coordination of export promotion programs</header>
<section id="id0582CB015E8842F8948F4DB8BEC583EE"><enum>101.</enum><header>Consolidation
of duplicative export promotion activities; information about trade missions
and trade fairs</header>
<subsection id="idB220CB031FC34E32886C36F72B7EFF20"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 2312(b) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15
U.S.C. 4727(b)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="id428c417bce354632afe0bc0ee01b87a4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (4),
by inserting <quote>, including by identifying opportunities to consolidate or
co-locate offices of agencies involved in such activities</quote> after
<quote>export financing activities</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idc2c9f52ccad8465b872ab24839d0d6d8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph
(5)—</text>
<subparagraph id="id3ea64c1f2df34b8b8fbc1cd7bf9644cc"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by inserting
<quote>, including the use and coordination of electronic databases,</quote>
after <quote>the appropriate levels and allocation of resources</quote>;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7adce2df87794dd8a90e3737256fb4be"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>; and</quote> and inserting a semicolon;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7c5f66bdcabb4ec7ba260eaf3c1663ce"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraph (6) as paragraph (7); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idbba0aa9b30fd4b03a7ad61a887f122d7"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by inserting
after paragraph (5) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5ECAA9AEFF07411BB398B8FF73AEE184" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="ida600347276d645bfbd7a63e521199927"><enum>(6)</enum><text>to the maximum
extent practicable, provide a detailed listing of current and future Federal
and State-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities to ensure
better delivery of services to United States businesses;
and</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id7f07839eb14244bca406a44afcc88fc1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Availability of
information</header><text>The Secretary of Commerce shall make available the
information on Federal and State-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related
activities described in paragraph (6) of section 2312(b) of the Export
Enhancement Act of 1988, as added by subsection (a)(4) of this section, on the
website Export.gov or a successor website.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="id45EE2067628147258C6DFF17DA10FFB5"><enum>102.</enum><header>Clarification
of roles of members of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2312(c) of the Export Enhancement
Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(c)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="ida1e0d41c26f94089b09923b5381a38fd"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (8),
respectively;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id67004ad6599a438fad5e98caa12ca8d7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting
after paragraph (2) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id407437059C6C4CC5948980D1A46F264D" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id6d9c5416fdbe44a79dd8942ee25f0c7f"><enum>(3)</enum><text>with respect to
export promotion and export financing activities of each department or agency
that is a member of the TPCC—</text>
<subparagraph id="id0583c3e37e014744beb8f635c424c73d"><enum>(A)</enum><text>clearly identify
and explain the role of the department or agency; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idacf1f408307546038ca4103f694823d1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>describe the
goals and objectives of the department or agency and explain the rationale for
measuring and reporting on those goals and
objectives;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id7b04c873ab4f4380954c19b41b1ae103"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in paragraph (5)
(as redesignated)—</text>
<subparagraph id="idcfb6883ef6c647dfa1f2a8d46d55d87c"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by inserting
<quote>and Congress</quote> after <quote>the President</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id85d2fcfe4b0e4a4ab774c28ec4ac5557"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>paragraph (3)</quote> and inserting <quote>paragraph (4)</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb4999ff3a15841c09a66ae0e307b1c78"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in paragraph (6)
(as redesignated), by striking <quote>; and</quote> and inserting a
semicolon;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ida3a056653fe4428a9f4c04dabda211c0"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by inserting
after paragraph (6) (as redesignated) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCCF2DE29352C4ED7995023A2C9705041" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id20ba50c0579f4e1abd7939fa9d418da0"><enum>(7)</enum><text>include any
recommendations of the Comptroller General of the United States that relate to
coordination of the TPCC and departments and agencies that are members of the
TPCC; and</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ida30a5214389d46fcbefc5c90aea0ea63"><enum>(6)</enum><text>in paragraph (8)
(as redesignated), by striking <quote>United States National Tourism
Organization</quote> and inserting <quote>United States Travel
Association</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="id823EA47642584E4C90022878081602D2"><enum>103.</enum><header>Representative
of State agencies on Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2312(d) of the Export Enhancement
Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(d)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="id391CCE63819540A08B10AE0F153FAB15"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id433B707C496C4C089AE8CD7F1CFC387D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting
after paragraph (1) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idAE25A2FF695C46F5AE81CD933BD89A6D" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id0010B0482CAF4964A712B2C664B36FEE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Representative
of State agencies</header><text>In addition to the members specified in
paragraph (1), there shall be one member of the TPCC that represents State
agencies with responsibility for export promotion and export
financing.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="id7C45F4B6B01D4E0895F284DB0B91C63A"><enum>104.</enum><header>Reports to
Congress with respect to activities of Trade Promotion Coordinating
Committee</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2312(f) of
the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(f)) is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8B7EDC44F67648BE8BEFC7F6921BB5E0" style="OLC">
<subsection id="id98cb20f163f442ab9f0fe4efd09e201e"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Reports to
Congress</header>
<paragraph id="id0c6d7ac51dfc4977af76a693f0280b87"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Reports by
TPCC</header><text>The chairperson of the TPCC shall prepare and submit to the
appropriate congressional committees, not later than March 30 of each year, a
report that—</text>
<subparagraph id="id25227331d5f046b49568d24fe8df9712"><enum>(A)</enum><text>describes the
strategic plan developed by the TPCC pursuant to subsection (c), the
implementation of such plan, and any revisions thereto; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0192c1e644b14d2fa1eb01f6d4d927cd"><enum>(B)</enum><text>describes the
implementation of sections 303 and 304 of the FREEDOM Support Act (22 U.S.C.
5823 and 5824) concerning funding for export promotion activities and the
interagency working groups on energy of the TPCC.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idF4BF2F50970B43D89F034EB4B80F57E3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Reports by
Inspector General of Department of Commerce</header>
<subparagraph id="idDADA4BDB4EEA46FC9D816665A8DE9AB4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Inspector General
of the Department of Commerce shall prepare and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees, not later than March 30 of each year, a report on the
extent to which—</text>
<clause id="idC98629C0637D49B8906D19F0658E99C3"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the TPCC is successfully carrying out the
duties described in subsection (b); and</text>
</clause><clause id="id29C5683CDB5042E8912838BC27714B6C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the strategic plan described in subsection
(c) is being implemented successfully.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3103BE0DC2A94539965A45366D00B7D1"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In preparing the report required under
subparagraph (A), the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce shall, to
the maximum extent practicable, consult with the inspector general of each
other Federal department or agency that is a member of the TPCC.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id469208c7a3d04ca0ade9b6528f1cc4ac"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Appropriate
congressional committees defined</header><text>In this subsection, the term
<term>appropriate congressional committees</term> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="idfede0c7764e846eca19603235f467c31"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the
Committee on Finance, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on
Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6841C0FF705144F0B28B247B79E3B206"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on
Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Small
Business, and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="id2BEE8CCC359C4025A912144A173B4AE7"><enum>105.</enum><header>Report on
improvements to Export.gov as a single window for export information</header>
<subsection id="id7649FDEA883646199E1DA47AC5AED823"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of International
Trade of the Small Business Administration shall, after consultation with the
entities specified in subsection (b), 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 that includes the recommendations of the
Director for improving the experience provided by the website Export.gov (or a
successor website) as—</text>
<paragraph id="id2F3685BC734C4EE28FF93A16F2DB98FF"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a comprehensive resource for information
about exporting articles from the United States; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id6015F25B032747A7B3935E157F67D4B6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a single website
for exporters to submit all information required by the Federal Government with
respect to the exportation of articles from the United States.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id65AABECAF87A4329A064DC4D325A51B5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Entities
specified</header><text>The entities specified in this subsection are—</text>
<paragraph id="id2698ECD2F92441AA8AE3B867E1BA50C5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>small business
concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632))
that are exporters; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id4B70D34419BD4DD7AC8F768C0E0B85CD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the President's
Export Council, State agencies with responsibility for export promotion or
export financing, district export councils, and trade associations.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id315A7EB3BA3D4D2AAE6431440829BF31"><enum>106.</enum><header>Report on
developing a single window for information about export control
compliance</header>
<subsection id="id8314B0506C454BDBA891C22C657656C3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report assessing the benefits of developing a
website to serve as—</text>
<paragraph id="id412F284815824B04BCEA8D800F7D1DC1"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a comprehensive resource for complying with
and information about the export control laws and regulations of the United
States; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id9ADCE55948324F749DE57203FCBADA71"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a single website
for exporters to submit all information required by the Federal Government with
respect to export controls.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idF24A21CE09C144F5AC22270EF202C300"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Appropriate
congressional committees defined</header><text>In this section, the term
<term>appropriate congressional committees</term> means—</text>
<paragraph id="idE26A6F8EB883416F85404655C5B6B5D0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idFDC6824577C14654A3EA412252F8DD6C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Committee on
Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Facilitation of
export opportunities for small businesses </header>
<section id="id23005C671D92408B95AC8B0883FF0E3E"><enum>201.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title—</text>
<paragraph id="id871C0E71A27D47D1B81FCB1567D28549"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the terms <term>Administration</term> and
<term>Administrator</term> mean the Small Business Administration and the
Administrator thereof, respectively;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC854ECC2FB914D1BB7B8CD7D97F8B791"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the term
<term>region of the Administration</term> has the meaning given that term in
section 3(u) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(u)); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id87A208AD637144189828F2EAAACAB2D6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the term
<term>small business concern</term> has the meaning given that term under
section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="id82E047C46B5E4B62BF488C568751D559"><enum>202.</enum><header>Promotion of
exporting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22(c)(11) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(c)(11)) is amended by inserting <quote>,
which shall include conducting not fewer that 1 outreach event each fiscal year
in each State that promotes exporting as a business development opportunity for
small business concerns</quote> before the semicolon.</text>
</section><section id="id28AB009E72F24E8B8D4D19EABC236238"><enum>203.</enum><header>Small business
export matchmaking pilot program</header>
<subsection id="id4A16E41FCEAC44EFA15DEB74EBAF0130"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Pilot program
established</header><text>The Administrator shall establish a pilot program to
conduct, in each region of the Administration, matchmaking events that are
designed to facilitate contact between small business concerns and potential
foreign buyers or international clients.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id30D8056C9D6F4156AE5B1EC502E4F75A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Program</header><text>The
Administrator—</text>
<paragraph id="id7D780B19AD944C66BF7C81E6F5873ED5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall conduct at
least 1 matchmaking event in each region of the Administration each year;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5261F4DF8CDE4D2D91786E1B9C13E023"><enum>(2)</enum><text>may hold a
matchmaking event in coordination with an outreach event required under section
22(c)(11) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(c)(11)), as amended by
section 202 of this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCF217C3A23AD465F87AFF766CB0B41E4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The
authority of the Administrator under this section shall terminate on September
30, 2015.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="id5763191BFB1D4632A133D703EAFD3A94"><enum>204.</enum><header>Export control
education</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 22 of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="id50A4CA770D4B4FD6BEE93F52DEF76FD2"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating subsection (l) as
subsection (m); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id6ED7F3A3EDD542599943C3E5CD4A95F2"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after subsection (k) the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id404C1925F61144E4A01DF25438CC3579" style="OLC">
<subsection id="idF55B258393334C25A2AB2DE2C7ABA76C"><enum>(l)</enum><header>Export control
education</header><text>The Associate Administrator shall ensure that all
programs of the Administration to support exporting by small business concerns
place a priority on educating small business concerns about Federal export
control
regulations.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="id40E4FD9E071E49079B6D09D653C4D478"><enum>205.</enum><header>Small business
inter-agency task force on export financing</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Administrator, the Secretary of
Agriculture, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and the Overseas
Private Investment Corporation shall jointly establish a Small Business
Inter-Agency Task Force on Export Financing to—</text>
<paragraph id="id1A50BAABD06047ABBEE66A1A99F6D014"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">review and improve Federal export finance
programs for small business concerns; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE27B35EDC172483AB7090772504BFE1E"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">coordinate the activities of the Federal
Government to assist small business concerns seeking to export.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="id02B70959C83C4786B41670072A4B14A8"><enum>206.</enum><header>Availability
of State resource guides on Export.gov</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Commerce shall make
available on the website Export.gov (or a successor website) information on the
resources relating to export promotion and export financing available in each
State—</text>
<paragraph id="idB8349E5CF7FC4A6995F9B5035208C732"><enum>(1)</enum><text>organized by
State; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id71A33C04C1794EC7A21ECF34500B20B6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>including
information on State agencies with responsibility for export promotion or
export financing and district export councils and trade associations located in
the State.</text>
</paragraph></section>