[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8844 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8844
To reauthorize the State Trade Expansion Program of the Small Business
Administration, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 15, 2022
Mr. Evans (for himself, Mrs. Kim of California, Ms. Newman, and Mr.
Flood) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Small Business
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the State Trade Expansion Program of the Small Business
Administration, 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 ``STEP Improvement Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM.
(a) Application Requirements.--Section 22(l)(3) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) in clause (i), by inserting ``, including a
budget plan for use of funds awarded under this
subsection'' before the period at the end; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) Timing.--The Associate
Administrator shall--
``(I) publish information on how to
apply for a grant under this
subsection, including specific
calculations and other determinations
used to award such a grant, not later
than March 31 of each year;
``(II) establish a deadline for the
submission of applications that is not
earlier than 60 days after the date on
which the information is published
under subclause (I) and that is not
later than May 31; and
``(III) announce grant recipients
not later than August 31 of each
year.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(E) Application information.--The Associate
Administrator shall clearly communicate to applicants
and grant recipients any information about State Trade
Expansion Program, including--
``(i) for each unsuccessful applicant for a
grant awarded under this subsection,
recommendations to improve a subsequent
application for such a grant; and
``(ii) for each successful applicant for
such a grant, an explanation for the amount
awarded, if different from the amount requested
in the application.
``(F) Budget plan revisions.--
``(i) In general.--A State receiving a
grant under this subsection may revise the
budget plan of the State submitted under
subparagraph (D) after the disbursal of grant
funds if--
``(I) the revision complies with
allowable uses of grant funds under
this subsection; and
``(II) such State submits
notification of the revision to the
Associate Administrator.
``(ii) Exception.--If a revision under
clause (i) reallocates 10 percent or more of
the amounts described in the budget plan of the
State submitted under subparagraph (D), the
State may not implement the revised budget plan
without the approval of the Associate
Administrator, unless the Associate
Administrator fails to approve or deny the
revised plan within 20 days after receipt of
such revised plan.''.
(b) Survey.--Section 22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
649(l)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as
paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new
paragraph:
``(7) Survey.--The Associate Administrator shall conduct an
annual survey of each State that received a grant under this
subsection during the preceding year to solicit feedback on the
program and develop best practices for grantees.''.
(c) Annual Report.--Section 22(l)(8)(B) of the Small Business Act,
as redesignated by subsection (b), is amended--
(1) in clause (i)--
(A) in subclause (III), by inserting ``, including
the total number of eligible small business concerns
assisted by the program (disaggregated by socially and
economically disadvantaged small business concerns,
small business concerns owned and controlled by women,
and rural small business concerns)'' before the
semicolon at the end;
(B) in subclause (IV), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(C) in subclause (V)--
(i) by striking ``description of best
practices'' and inserting ``detailed
description of best practices''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new
subclauses:
``(VI) an analysis of the
performance metrics described in clause
(iii), including a determination of
whether or not any goals relating to
such performance metrics were met, and
an analysis of the survey described in
paragraph (7); and
``(VII) a description of lessons
learned by grant recipients under this
subsection that may apply to other
assistance provided by the
Administration.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) Performance metrics.--Annually, the
Associate Administrator shall collect data on
eligible small business concerns assisted by
the program for the following performance
metrics:
``(I) Total number of such
concerns, disaggregated by socially and
economically disadvantaged small
business concerns, small business
concerns owned and controlled by women,
and rural small business concerns.
``(II) Total dollar amount of
export sales by eligible small business
concerns assisted by the program.
``(III) Number of such concerns
that have not previously participated
in an activity described in paragraph
(2).
``(IV) Number of such concerns
that, because of participation in the
program, have accessed a new market.
``(V) Number of such concerns that,
because of participation in the
program, have created new jobs.
``(VI) Number of such concerns
participating in foreign trade missions
or trade show exhibitions,
disaggregated by socially and
economically disadvantaged small
business concerns, small business
concerns owned and controlled by women,
and rural small business concerns.''.
(d) Expansion of Definition of Eligible Small Business Concern.--
Section 22(l)(1)(A) of the Small Business Act is amended--
(1) in clause (iii)(II), by adding ``and'' at the end;
(2) by striking clause (iv); and
(3) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (iv).
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 22(l)(10) of the
Small Business Act, as redesignated by subsection (b), is amended by
striking ``fiscal years 2016 through 2020'' and inserting ``fiscal
years 2023 through 2026''.
(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Associate Administrator for
International Trade of the Small Business Administration shall submit
to Congress a report on the State Trade Expansion Program established
under section 22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)) that
includes a description of--
(1) the process developed for review of revised budget
plans submitted under section 22(l)(3)(F) of the Small Business
Act, as added by this Act;
(2) any changes made to streamline the application process
to remove duplicative requirements and create a more
transparent process;
(3) the process developed to share best practices by States
described in section 22(l)(8)(B)(i)(V) (as redesignated by this
Act), particularly for first-time grant recipients under the
State Trade Expansion Program or grant recipients that are
facing problems using grant funds; and
(4) the process developed to communicate, both verbally and
in writing, relevant information about the State Trade
Expansion Program to all grant recipients in a timely manner.
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