[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3469 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 99
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3469
[Report No. 117-139]
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business
Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2021
Mr. Schneider (for himself and Mr. Williams of Texas) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business
October 12, 2021
Additional sponsors: Ms. Sherrill and Ms. Houlahan
October 12, 2021
Reported from the Committee on Small Business; committed to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business
Program, 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 ``Veteran Entrepreneurship Training
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.
Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Boots to Business Program.--
``(1) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the
term `covered individual' means--
``(A) a member of the Armed Forces, including the
National Guard or Reserves;
``(B) an individual who is participating in the
Transition Assistance Program established under section
1144 of title 10, United States Code;
``(C) an individual who--
``(i) served on active duty in any branch
of the Armed Forces, including the National
Guard or Reserves; and
``(ii) was discharged or released from such
service under conditions other than
dishonorable; and
``(D) a spouse or dependent of an individual
described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
``(2) Establishment.--Beginning on the first October 1
after the enactment of this subsection and for the subsequent 4
fiscal years, the Administrator shall carry out a program to be
known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide
entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.
``(3) Goals.--The goals of the Boots to Business Program
are to--
``(A) provide assistance and in-depth training to
covered individuals interested in business ownership;
and
``(B) provide covered individuals with the tools,
skills, and knowledge necessary to identify a business
opportunity, draft a business plan, identify sources of
capital, connect with local resources for small
business concerns, and start up a small business
concern.
``(4) Program components.--
``(A) In general.--The Boots to Business Program
may include--
``(i) a presentation providing exposure to
the considerations involved in self-employment
and ownership of a small business concern;
``(ii) an online, self-study course focused
on the basic skills of entrepreneurship, the
language of business, and the considerations
involved in self-employment and ownership of a
small business concern;
``(iii) an in-person classroom instruction
component providing an introduction to the
foundations of self employment and ownership of
a small business concern; and
``(iv) in-depth training delivered through
online instruction, including an online course
that leads to the creation of a business plan.
``(B) Collaboration.--The Administrator may--
``(i) collaborate with public and private
entities to develop course curricula for the
Boots to Business Program; and
``(ii) modify program components in
coordination with entities participating in a
Warriors in Transition program, as defined in
section 738(e) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10
U.S.C. 1071 note).
``(C) Use of resource partners.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator
shall--
``(I) ensure that Veteran Business
Outreach Centers regularly participate,
on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to
Business Program; and
``(II) to the maximum extent
practicable, use a variety of other
resource partners and entities in
administering the Boots to Business
Program.
``(ii) Grant authority.--In carrying out
clause (i), the Administrator may make grants
to Veteran Business Outreach Centers, other
resource partners, or other entities to carry
out components of the Boots to Business
Program.
``(D) Availability to department of defense.--The
Administrator shall make available to the Secretary of
Defense information regarding the Boots to Business
Program, including all course materials and outreach
materials related to the Boots to Business Program, for
inclusion on the website of the Department of Defense
relating to the Transition Assistance Program, in the
Transition Assistance Program manual, and in other
relevant materials available for distribution from the
Secretary of Defense.
``(E) Availability to veterans affairs.--In
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
the Administrator shall make available for distribution
and display at local facilities of the Department of
Veterans Affairs outreach materials regarding the Boots
to Business Program which shall, at a minimum--
``(i) describe the Boots to Business
Program and the services provided; and
``(ii) include eligibility requirements for
participating in the Boots to Business Program.
``(5) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this subsection and every year thereafter, the
Administrator 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
performance and effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program,
which may be included as part of another report submitted to
such Committees by the Administrator, and which shall include--
``(A) information regarding grants awarded under
paragraph (4)(C);
``(B) the total cost of the Boots to Business
Program;
``(C) the number of program participants using each
component of the Boots to Business Program;
``(D) the completion rates for each component of
the Boots to Business Program;
``(E) to the extent possible--
``(i) the demographics of program
participants, to include gender, age, race,
relationship to military, military occupational
specialty, and years of service of program
participants;
``(ii) the number of small business
concerns formed or expanded with assistance
under the Boots to Business Program;
``(iii) the gross receipts of small
business concerns receiving assistance under
the Boots to Business Program;
``(iv) the number of jobs created with
assistance under the Boots to Business Program;
``(v) the number of referrals to other
resources and programs of the Administration;
``(vi) the number of program participants
receiving financial assistance under loan
programs of the Administration;
``(vii) the type and dollar amount of
financial assistance received by program
participants under any loan program of the
Administration; and
``(viii) results of participant
satisfaction surveys, including a summary of
any comments received from program
participants;
``(F) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the
Boots to Business Program in each region of the
Administration during the most recent fiscal year;
``(G) an assessment of additional performance
outcome measures for the Boots to Business Program, as
identified by the Administrator;
``(H) any recommendations of the Administrator for
improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may
include expansion of the types of individuals who are
covered individuals;
``(I) an explanation of how the Boots to Business
Program has been integrated with other transition
programs and related resources of the Administration
and other Federal agencies; and
``(J) any additional information the Administrator
determines necessary.''.
Union Calendar No. 99
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3469
[Report No. 117-139]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business
Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 12, 2021
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed