[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2099 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2099

 To establish an Office of Community Financial Institutions within the 
   Small Business Administration that will strengthen the ability of 
 Community Financial Institutions to support the development of small 
 business concerns in underserved communities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 21, 2023

  Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself, Mr. Braun, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, and Mr. 
    Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
    referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish an Office of Community Financial Institutions within the 
   Small Business Administration that will strengthen the ability of 
 Community Financial Institutions to support the development of small 
 business concerns in underserved communities, 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 ``Supporting Community Lenders Act''.

SEC. 2. OFFICE OF COMMUNITY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

    Section 7 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(o) Office of Community Financial Institutions.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                    ``(A) the term `Associate Administrator' means the 
                Associate Administrator of the Office of Capital Access 
                of the Administration;
                    ``(B) the term `community financial institution' 
                has the meaning given the term in paragraph (36); and
                    ``(C) the term `Director' means the Director of the 
                Office of Community Financial Institutions.
            ``(2) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Administration the Office of Community Financial Institutions, 
        which shall be--
                    ``(A) under the general management and oversight of 
                the Administration; and
                    ``(B) responsible for the planning, coordination, 
                implementation, evaluation, and improvement of the 
                efforts of the Administrator to enhance the performance 
                of community financial institutions and support access 
                to capital for small business concerns.
            ``(3) Director.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after 
                the date of enactment of the Supporting Community 
                Lenders Act, the Administrator shall appoint a Director 
                of the Office of Community Financial Institutions, who 
                shall--
                            ``(i) supervise the Office of Community 
                        Financial Institutions and report to the 
                        Associate Administrator;
                            ``(ii) be in the Senior Executive Service; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) have knowledge of community 
                        financial institutions and experience providing 
                        access to capital to small business concerns in 
                        underserved communities.
                    ``(B) Duties.--The Director shall--
                            ``(i) create and implement strategies and 
                        programs that support the activities, 
                        development, and growth of community financial 
                        institutions;
                            ``(ii) administer and manage outreach, 
                        technical support, and training programs to 
                        existing, and potential, community financial 
                        institutions;
                            ``(iii) establish partnerships within the 
                        Administration and with relevant Federal 
                        agencies, including the Department of the 
                        Treasury, the Federal Deposit Insurance 
                        Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, and 
                        the Minority Business Development Agency, to 
                        advance the goal of supporting the economic 
                        success of small business concerns through 
                        community financial institutions;
                            ``(iv) review the effectiveness and impact 
                        of community financial institutions;
                            ``(v) when appropriate, advocate on behalf 
                        of community financial institutions within the 
                        Administration, and to outside organizations, 
                        including other relevant Federal agencies;
                            ``(vi) hold public meetings with relevant 
                        stakeholders not less frequently than once 
                        every 6 months beginning 1 year after the date 
                        of enactment of the Supporting Community 
                        Lenders Act; and
                            ``(vii) not later than 3 years after the 
                        date of enactment of the Supporting Community 
                        Lenders Act, and not less frequently than once 
                        every 3 years thereafter, submit to Congress a 
                        report on the major activities of the Office of 
                        Community Financial Institutions, 
                        recommendations for congressional action based 
                        on the expertise of the Office, and areas for 
                        growth within the Office.
                    ``(C) Consultation.--In carrying out the duties 
                under this paragraph, the Director shall consult with--
                            ``(i) district offices of the 
                        Administration; and
                            ``(ii) other relevant Federal agencies, 
                        including the Department of the Treasury, the 
                        Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the 
                        Minority Business Development Agency.''.
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