[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1481 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 390
114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 1481

                          [Report No. 114-510]

   To amend the Small Business Act to strengthen the small business 
                industrial base, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 19, 2015

  Mr. Chabot introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Small Business

                             April 19, 2016

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 
                               19, 2015]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Small Business Act to strengthen the small business 
                industrial base, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Small Contractors 
Improve Competition Act of 2015''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Including subcontracting goals in agency responsibilities; 
                            reports.
Sec. 3. Data quality improvement.
Sec. 4. Notice and justification requirements for bundling or 
                            consolidation of contract requirements.
Sec. 5. Joint venturing and teaming.
Sec. 6. Limitations on reverse auctions.
Sec. 7. Revision to the nonmanufacturer rule.
Sec. 8. Certification requirements for procurement center 
                            representatives.
Sec. 9. Certification requirements for Business Opportunity 
                            Specialists.
Sec. 10. Certification requirements for commercial market 
                            representatives.

SEC. 2. INCLUDING SUBCONTRACTING GOALS IN AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES; 
              REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1633(b) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-239; 126 Stat. 
2076; 15 U.S.C. 631 note) is amended by striking ``assume 
responsibility for of the agency's success in achieving small business 
contracting goals and percentages'' and inserting ``assume 
responsibility for the agency's success in achieving each of the small 
business prime contracting and subcontracting goals and percentages''.
    (b) GAO Study and Report on Accountability for Subcontracting.--
            (1) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of the Small Contractors Improve Competition Act of 
        2015, the Comptroller General of the United States shall begin 
        a study, which shall be conducted for a period of 1 year, to 
        assess whether the systems of an agency or department 
        accurately record the data necessary to comply with any 
        requirements related to subcontracting at any tier under the 
        Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.).
            (2) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which 
        the study described in paragraph (1) is completed, the 
        Comptroller General shall submit a report to the Committee on 
        Small Business of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate 
        on the results of such study.
    (c) GAO Study and Report on Size Status.--
            (1) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
        shall conduct a study--
                    (A) to assess whether Federal agencies are 
                accurately identifying the size status of business 
                concerns awarded contracts in the Federal Procurement 
                Data System as small business concerns; and
                    (B) to identify, to the extent practicable, the 
                impact of incorrect size status designations on meeting 
                the requirements related to goals in subsections (g) 
                and (h) of section 15 of the Small Business Act (15 
                U.S.C. 644).
            (2) Contents.--The study described in paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) a description of the procedures and processes 
                of each Federal agency, including the roles of the 
                individuals described in section 1633(b) of the 
                National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 
                (Public Law 112-239; 126 10 Stat. 2076; 15 U.S.C. 631 
                note) and the training provided to the acquisition 
                workforce of such agency (as described under section 
                1703 of title 41, United States Code);
                    (B) a description of the extent to which such 
                processes and procedures help ensure that business 
                concerns are assigned the most appropriate size status;
                    (C) a description of the interactions among the 
                Federal Procurement Data System, the System for Award 
                Management (as described under subpart 4.11 of title 
                48, Code of Federal Regulations) and comparable systems 
                run by the Small Business Administration and 
                recommendations for improving each system to reduce 
                errors in reporting size status; and
                    (D) recommendations on how to improve the accuracy 
                of the goaling reports required under section 15(h) of 
                the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(h)).
            (3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the Small Contractors Improve Competition Act of 
        2015, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the 
        Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and 
        the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
        Senate containing the results of the study conducted under 
        paragraph (1).
            (4) Definitions.--In this subsection, the following 
        definitions shall apply:
                    (A) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' 
                has the meaning given such term in section 3(b) of the 
                Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(b)).
                    (B) Federal procurement data system.--The term 
                ``Federal Procurement Data System'' means the system 
                referred to in section 1122(a)(4)(A) of title 41, 
                United States Code, or any successor system.
                    (C) Small business concern.--The term ``small 
                business concern'' has the meaning given such term 
                under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
                632).

SEC. 3. DATA QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 15(s) of the Small Business Act (15. 
U.S.C. 644(s)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(4) Implementation.--Not later than the first day of 
        fiscal year 2017, the Administrator of the Small Business 
        Administration shall implement the plan described in this 
        subsection.
            ``(5) Certification.--The Administrator shall annually 
        provide to the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and 
        Entrepreneurship of the Senate certification of the accuracy 
        and completeness of data reported on bundled and consolidated 
        contracts.''.
    (b) GAO Study.--
            (1) Study.--Not later than the first day of fiscal year 
        2018, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
        initiate a study on the effectiveness of the plan described in 
        section 15(s) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(s)) that 
        shall assess whether contracts were accurately labeled as 
        bundled or consolidated.
            (2) Contracts evaluated.--For the purposes of conducting 
        the study described in paragraph (1), the Comptroller General 
        of the United States--
                    (A) shall evaluate, for work in each of sectors 23, 
                33, 54, and 56 (as defined by the North American 
                Industry Classification System), not fewer than 100 
                contracts in each sector;
                    (B) shall evaluate only those contracts--
                            (i) awarded by an agency listed in section 
                        901(b) of title 31, United States Code; and
                            (ii) that have a Base and Exercised Options 
                        Value, an Action Obligation, or a Base and All 
                        Options Value (as such terms are defined in the 
                        Federal procurement data system described in 
                        section 1122(a)(4)(A) of title 41, United 
                        States Code, or any successor system); and
                    (C) shall not evaluate contracts that have used any 
                set aside authority.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 12 months after initiating the 
        study required by paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the 
        United States shall report to the Committee on Small Business 
        of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small 
        Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate on the results from 
        such study and, if warranted, any recommendations on how to 
        improve the quality of data reported on bundled and 
        consolidated contracts.

SEC. 4. NOTICE AND JUSTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BUNDLING OR 
              CONSOLIDATION OF CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Notice of Contract Consolidation for Acquisition Strategies.--
Section 44(c)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657q(c)(2)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Notice.--Not later than 7 days after making a 
                determination that an acquisition strategy involving a 
                consolidation of contract requirements is necessary and 
                justified under subparagraph (A), the senior 
                procurement executive or Chief Acquisition Officer 
                shall publish a notice on a public website that such 
                determination has been made. Any solicitation for a 
                procurement related to the acquisition strategy may not 
                be published earlier than 7 days after such notice is 
                published. Along with the publication of the 
                solicitation, the senior procurement executive or Chief 
                Acquisition Officer shall publish a justification for 
                the determination, which shall include the information 
                in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1).''.
    (b) Notice of Contract Consolidation for Procurement Strategies.--
Section 15(e)(3) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 644(e)(3)) is amended to read 
as follows:
            ``(3) Strategy specifications.--If the head of a 
        contracting agency determines that an acquisition plan for a 
        procurement involves a substantial bundling of contract 
        requirements, the head of a contracting agency shall publish a 
        notice on a public website that such determination has been 
        made not later than 7 days after making such determination. Any 
        solicitation for a procurement related to the acquisition plan 
        may not be published earlier than 7 days after such notice is 
        published. Along with the publication of the solicitation, the 
        head of a contracting agency shall publish a justification for 
        the determination, which shall include following information:
                    ``(A) The specific benefits anticipated to be 
                derived from the bundling of contract requirements and 
                a determination that such benefits justify the 
                bundling.
                    ``(B) An identification of any alternative 
                contracting approaches that would involve a lesser 
                degree of bundling of contract requirements.
                    ``(C) An assessment of--
                            ``(i) the specific impediments to 
                        participation by small business concerns as 
                        prime contractors that result from the bundling 
                        of contract requirements; and
                            ``(ii) the specific actions designed to 
                        maximize small business participation as 
                        subcontractors (including suppliers) at various 
                        tiers under the contract or contracts that are 
                        awarded to meet the requirements.''.
    (c) Technical Amendment.--Section 44(c)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 
657q(c)(1)) is amended by striking ``Subject to paragraph (4), the 
head'' and inserting ``The head''.

SEC. 5. JOINT VENTURING AND TEAMING.

    (a) Joint Venture Offers for Bundled or Consolidated Contracts.--
Section 15(e)(4) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(e)(4)) is 
amended to read as follows:
            ``(4) Contract teaming.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of a solicitation of 
                offers for a bundled or consolidated contract that is 
                issued by the head of an agency, a small business 
                concern may submit an offer that provides for use of a 
                particular team of subcontractors or a joint venture of 
                small business concerns for the performance of the 
                contract.
                    ``(B) Evaluation of offers.--The head of the agency 
                shall evaluate the offer of a team or a joint venture 
                of small business concerns in the same manner as other 
                offers, with due consideration to the capabilities of 
                all of the proposed subcontractors or members of the 
                joint venture as follows:
                            ``(i) Teams.--When evaluating an offer of a 
                        small business prime contractor whose offer 
                        includes a proposed team of small business 
                        subcontractors, the head of the agency shall 
                        consider the capabilities and past performance 
                        of each first tier subcontractor that is part 
                        of the team as the capabilities and past 
                        performance of the team.
                            ``(ii) Joint ventures.--When evaluating an 
                        offer of a joint venture of small business 
                        concerns, if the joint venture does not have 
                        sufficient capabilities or past performance to 
                        be considered for award of a contract 
                        opportunity, the head of the agency shall 
                        consider the capabilities and past performance 
                        of each member of the joint venture as the 
                        capabilities past performance of the joint 
                        venture.
                    ``(C) Status as a small business concern.--
                Participation of a small business concern in a team or 
                a joint venture under this paragraph shall not affect 
                the status of that concern as a small business concern 
                with respect to the performance of a contract described 
                in subparagraph (A).''.
    (b) Team and Joint Ventures Offers for Multiple Award Contracts.--
Section 15(q)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 644(q)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by inserting ``and joint venture'' 
        before ``requirements'';
            (2) by striking ``Each Federal agency'' and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(A) In general.--Each Federal agency''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(B) Teams.--When evaluating an offer of a small 
                business prime contractor whose offer includes a 
                proposed team of small business subcontractors for any 
                multiple award contract above the substantial bundling 
                threshold of the Federal agency, the head of the agency 
                shall consider the capabilities and past performance of 
                each first tier subcontractor that is part of the team 
                as the capabilities and past performance of the 
                offeror.
                    ``(C) Joint ventures.--When evaluating an offer of 
                a joint venture of small business concerns for any 
                multiple award contract above the substantial bundling 
                threshold of the Federal agency, if the joint venture 
                does not have sufficient capabilities or past 
                performance to be considered for award of a contract 
                opportunity, the head of the agency shall consider the 
                capabilities and past performance of each member of the 
                joint venture as the capabilities and past performance 
                of the joint venture.
                    ``(D) Use of small business teams or joint 
                ventures.--
                            ``(i) In general.--For contracts awarded 
                        under section 8(a), 8(m), 15(a), 15(j), 31, or 
                        36 to a small business team or a joint venture 
                        of small business concerns, the contracting 
                        officer shall certify annually to the 
                        Administration, for each year the contract is 
                        in effect, that each small business concern 
                        member of such team or joint venture has the 
                        same status of a small business concern, small 
                        business concern owned and controlled by 
                        service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone 
                        small business concern, small business concern 
                        owned and controlled by socially and 
                        economically disadvantaged individuals, or 
                        small business concern owned and controlled by 
                        women, as applicable, that such concern had at 
                        the time the contract was awarded.
                            ``(ii) Exception.--The requirements of 
                        clause (i) shall not apply to a contract 
                        awarded to a joint venture of small business 
                        concerns that is a protege under a mentor-
                        protege program approved pursuant to section 
                        45.''.
    (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out the amendments made 
by this section.

SEC. 6. LIMITATIONS ON REVERSE AUCTIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, when used 
appropriately, reverse auctions may improve the Federal Government's 
procurement of commercially available commodities by increasing 
competition, reducing prices, and improving opportunities for small 
businesses.
    (b) Limitations on Reverse Auctions.--The Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 47 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) as 
        section 48; and
            (2) by inserting after section 46 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 47. LIMITATIONS ON REVERSE AUCTIONS.

    ``(a) Prohibition on Using Reverse Auctions for Covered 
Contracts.--In the case of a covered contract described in subsection 
(c), reverse auction methods may not be used if the award of the 
contract is to be made under--
            ``(1) section 8(a);
            ``(2) section 8(m);
            ``(3) section 15(a);
            ``(4) section 15(j);
            ``(5) section 31; or
            ``(6) section 36.
    ``(b) Limitations on Using Reverse Auctions.--In the case of the 
award of a contract to be made under paragraphs (1) through (6) of 
subsection (a) that is not a covered contract, reverse auction methods 
may be used pursuant to the following requirements:
            ``(1) Decisions regarding use of a reverse auction.--A 
        contracting officer shall make the following decisions, which 
        may not be delegated to any person except for another 
        contracting officer who meets the training requirements of 
        paragraph (2):
                    ``(A) A decision to use reverse auction methods as 
                part of the competition for award of a contract.
                    ``(B) Any decision made after the decision 
                described in subsection (A) regarding the appropriate 
                evaluation criteria, the inclusion of vendors, the 
                acceptability of vendor submissions (including 
                decisions regarding timeliness), and the selection of 
                the winner.
            ``(2) Training required.--Only a contracting officer who 
        has received training on the appropriate use and supervision of 
        reverse auction methods of contracting may supervise or use 
        such methods in a procurement for a contract. The training 
        shall be provided by, or similar to the training provided by, 
        the Defense Acquisition University as described in section 824 
        of the Carl Levin and Howard P. `Buck' McKeon National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291).
            ``(3) Number of offers; revisions to bids.--A Federal 
        agency may not award a contract using a reverse auction method 
        if only one offer is received or if offerors do not have the 
        ability to submit revised bids with lower prices throughout the 
        course of the auction.
            ``(4) Technically acceptable offers.--A Federal agency 
        awarding a contract using a reverse auction method shall 
        evaluate the technical acceptability of offers only as 
        technically acceptable or unacceptable.
            ``(5) Use of price rankings.--A Federal agency may not 
        award a contract using a reverse auction method if at any time 
        during the award process the Federal agency misinforms an 
        offeror about the price ranking of the offeror's last offer 
        submitted in relation to offers submitted by other offerors.
            ``(6) Use of third-party agents.--If a Federal agency uses 
        a third party agent to assist with the award of contracts using 
        a reverse auction method, the Federal agency shall ensure 
        that--
                    ``(A) inherently governmental functions (as such 
                term is used in section 2303 of title 41, United States 
                Code) are not performed by private contractors, 
                including by the third party agent;
                    ``(B) information on the past contract performance 
                of offerors created by the third party agent and shared 
                with the Federal agency is collected, maintained, and 
                shared in compliance with section 1126 of title 41, 
                United States Code;
                    ``(C) information on whether an offeror is a 
                responsible source (as defined in section 113 of title 
                41, United States Code) that is created by the third 
                party agent and shared with the Federal agency is 
                shared with the offeror and complies with section 
                8(b)(7) of this Act; and
                    ``(D) disputes between the third party agent and an 
                offeror may not be used to justify a determination that 
                an offeror is not a responsible source (as defined in 
                section 113 of title 41, United States Code) or to 
                otherwise restrict the ability of an offeror to compete 
                for the award of a contract or task or delivery order.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Contracting officer.--The term `contracting officer' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 2101(1) of title 41, 
        United States Code.
            ``(2) Covered contract.--The term `covered contract' means 
        a contract--
                    ``(A) for design and construction services;
                    ``(B) for goods purchased to protect Federal 
                employees, members of the Armed Forces, or civilians 
                from bodily harm; or
                    ``(C) for goods or services other than those goods 
                or services described in subparagraph (A) or (B)--
                            ``(i) to be awarded based on factors other 
                        than price and technical responsibility; or
                            ``(ii) if awarding the contract requires 
                        the contracting officer to conduct discussions 
                        with the offerors about their offer.
            ``(3) Design and construction services.--The term `design 
        and construction services' means--
                    ``(A) site planning and landscape design;
                    ``(B) architectural and interior design;
                    ``(C) engineering system design;
                    ``(D) performance of construction work for 
                facility, infrastructure, and environmental restoration 
                projects;
                    ``(E) delivery and supply of construction materials 
                to construction sites;
                    ``(F) construction, alteration, or repair, 
                including painting and decorating, of public buildings 
                and public works; and
                    ``(G) architectural and engineering services as 
                defined in section 1102 of title 40, United States 
                Code.
            ``(4) Reverse auction.--The term `reverse auction' means, 
        with respect to procurement by an agency, an auction between a 
        group of offerors who compete against each other by submitting 
        offers for a contract or task or delivery order with the 
        ability to submit revised offers with lower prices throughout 
        the course of the auction.''.

SEC. 7. REVISION TO THE NONMANUFACTURER RULE.

    (a) Procurement Contracts.--Section 8(a)(17) of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``any procurement 
        contract'' and all that follows through ``section 15'' and 
        inserting ``any procurement contract, which contract has as its 
        principal purpose the supply of a product to be let pursuant to 
        this subsection or subsection (m), or section 15(a), 31, or 
        36,''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(C) Limitation.--This paragraph shall not apply to a 
        contract that has as its principal purpose the acquisition of 
        services or construction.''.
    (b) Subcontractor Contracts.--Section 46(a)(4) of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 657s(a)(4)) is amended by striking ``for supplies from a regular 
dealer in such supplies'' and inserting ``which is principally for 
supplies from a regular dealer in such supplies, and which is not a 
contract principally for services or construction''.
    (c) Publication of Class Waivers.--The Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration shall publish a list of waivers to the 
requirements of section 8(a)(17) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
637(a)(17)) granted for a class of products as an appendix to section 
121.406 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 
regulation).
    (d) Rulemaking.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Small 
        Business Administration shall issue any rules necessary to 
        carry out the amendments made by this section.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the issuance of 
        the rules required in paragraph (1), the Comptroller General 
        shall--
                    (A) review the compliance of the Small Business 
                Administration with the application of the requirements 
                of section 8(a)(17) of the Small Business Act (15 
                U.S.C. 637(a)(17)); and
                    (B) submit a report to the Committee on Small 
                Business of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
                Senate with any recommendations on how to increase 
                compliance with such requirements.

SEC. 8. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PROCUREMENT CENTER 
              REPRESENTATIVES.

    Section 15(l)(5)(A)(iii) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
644(l)(5)(A)(iii)) is amended by striking ``except that'' and all that 
follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: 
``except that--
                                    ``(I) any person serving in such a 
                                position on or before January 3, 2013, 
                                may continue to serve in that position 
                                for a period of 5 years beginning on 
                                such date without the required 
                                certification; and
                                    ``(II) any person hired for such 
                                position after January 3, 2013, may 
                                have up to one calendar year from the 
                                date of employment to obtain the 
                                required certification.''.

SEC. 9. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY 
              SPECIALISTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 4 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
633) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Certification Requirements for Business Opportunity 
Specialists.--A Business Opportunity Specialist described under section 
7(j)(10)(D) shall have a Level I Federal Acquisition Certification in 
Contracting (or any successor certification) or the equivalent 
Department of Defense certification, except that--
            ``(1) a Business Opportunity Specialist who was serving on 
        or before January 3, 2013, may continue to serve as a Business 
        Opportunity Specialist for a period of 5 years beginning on 
        such date without such a certification; and
            ``(2) any person hired as a Business Opportunity Specialist 
        after January 3, 2013, may have up to one calendar year from 
        the date of employment to obtain the required certification.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 7(j)(10)(D)(i) of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 636(j)(10)(D)(i)) is amended by striking the second sentence.

SEC. 10. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL MARKET 
              REPRESENTATIVES.

    Section 4 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 633), as amended by 
section 9 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(h) Certification Requirements for Commercial Market 
Representatives.--A commercial market representative referred to in 
section 15(q)(3) shall have a Level I Federal Acquisition Certification 
in Contracting (or any successor certification) or the equivalent 
Department of Defense certification, except that--
            ``(1) a commercial market representative who was serving on 
        or before the date of enactment of the Small Contractors 
        Improve Competition Act of 2015 may continue to serve as a 
        commercial market representative for a period of 5 years 
        beginning on such date without such a certification; and
            ``(2) any person hired as a commercial market 
        representative after the date of enactment of the Small 
        Contractors Improve Competition Act of 2015 may have up to one 
        calendar year from the date of employment to obtain the 
        required certification.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 390

114th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 1481

                          [Report No. 114-510]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To amend the Small Business Act to strengthen the small business 
                industrial base, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             April 19, 2016

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed