[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2619 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2619

 To require the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a pilot program on 
 the award of financial assistance to local governments to support the 
       development of startup businesses, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2016

 Ms. Heitkamp introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a pilot program on 
 the award of financial assistance to local governments to support the 
       development of startup businesses, 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 ``Startup Entrepreneur Empowerment 
Delivery Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON AWARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL 
              GOVERNMENTS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF STARTUP BUSINESSES.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--Commencing not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce 
shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and 
advisability of awarding financial assistance, on a competitive basis, 
to local governments described in subsection (b) to support the 
development of startup businesses described in subsection (c).
    (b) Local Governments Described.--A local government described in 
this subsection--
            (1) is a political subdivision of a State that is eligible 
        to participate in the Experimental Program to Stimulate 
        Competitive Research (known as ``EPSCoR'') of the National 
        Science Foundation; and
            (2) represents a population of not more than 200,000.
    (c) Startup Businesses Described.--A startup business described in 
this subsection is a business that--
            (1) is under the jurisdiction of a local government 
        described in subsection (b);
            (2) has fewer than 5 full-time equivalent employees; and
            (3) intends, as determined by the local government 
        described in paragraph (1), to produce a technology or product 
        that may result in intellectual property vesting in an entity 
        of the United States that can commercialize the technology in a 
        timely manner.
    (d) Duration.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
        program during the 1-year period beginning on the date of the 
        commencement of the pilot program.
            (2) Completion of assistance.--The Secretary shall ensure 
        that any project funded by a financial assistance awarded under 
        the pilot program is completed before the date that is 1 year 
        after the date of the commencement of the pilot program.
    (e) Financial Assistance to Local Governments.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
        program through the award of financial assistance to local 
        governments described in subsection (b).
            (2) Number of grants.--Under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
        may award financial assistance under the pilot program to not 
        more than 10 local governments described in subsection (b).
            (3) Amounts.--Each award of financial assistance under 
        paragraph (1) shall be for not more than $120,000.
            (4) Application.--A local government seeking financial 
        assistance under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application therefor at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may require.
            (5) Use of funds to provide financial assistance to startup 
        businesses.--A local government receiving an award under 
        paragraph (1) shall use the amount of the award to provide 
        financial assistance to one or more startup businesses 
        described in subsection (c) that are under the jurisdiction of 
        the local government.
    (f) Financial Assistance to Startup Businesses.--Each local 
government that receives a grant under paragraph (1) of subsection (e) 
shall ensure that financial assistance provided under paragraph (5) of 
such subsection is used by the recipient of the financial assistance to 
assist with direct costs related to successfully growing a business, 
which may include--
            (1) costs for facilities, including the construction, 
        repair, or renovation;
            (2) costs relating to acquiring or implementing technology; 
        or
            (3) costs of human capital.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the completion of the 
pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
pilot program and the findings of the Secretary with respect to the 
feasibility and advisability of awarding grants as described in 
subsection (a).
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