[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2223-S2224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Cleland, and Mr. 
        Wellstone):
  S. 522. A bill to direct the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration to conduct a pilot program to raise awareness about 
telecommuting among small business employers, and to encourage such 
employers to offer telecommuting options to employees; to the Committee 
on Small Business.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today I am joined by my colleagues, Senator 
Daschle, Senator Cleland, and Senator Wellstone, in introducing 
legislation, the Small Business Telecommuting Act, to assist our 
nation's small businesses in establishing successful telecommuting, or 
telework programs, for their employees. Congressman Udall will be 
introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
  Across America, numerous employers are responding to the needs of 
their employees and establishing telecommuting programs. In 2000, there 
were an estimated 16.5 million teleworkers. By the end of 2004, there 
will be an estimated 30 million teleworkers, representing an increase 
of almost 100 percent. Unfortunately, the majority of growth in new 
teleworkers comes from organizations employing over 1,500 people, while 
just a few years ago, most teleworkers worked for small- to medium-
sized organizations.
  By not taking advantage of modern technology and establishing 
successful telecommuting programs, small businesses are losing out on a 
host of benefits that will save them money, and make them more 
competitive. The reported productivity improvement of home-based 
teleworkers averages 15 percent, translating to an average bottom-line 
impact of $9,712 per teleworker. Additionally, most experienced 
teleworkers are determined to continue teleworking, meaning a 
successful telework program can be an important tool in the recruitment 
and retention of qualified and skilled employees. By establishing 
successful telework programs, small business owners would be able to 
retain these valuable employees by allowing them to work from a remote 
location, such as their home or a telework center.
  In addition to the cost savings realized by businesses that employ 
teleworkers, there are a number of related benefits to society and the 
employee. For example, telecommuters help reduce traffic and cut down 
on air pollution by staying off the roads during rush hour. Fully 80 
percent of home-only teleworkers commute to work on days they are not 
teleworking. Their one-way commute distance averages 19.7 miles, versus 
13.3 miles for non-teleworkers, meaning employees that take advantage 
of telecommuting programs are, more often than not, those with the 
longest commutes. Teleworking also gives employees more time to spend 
with their families and reduces stress levels by eliminating the 
pressure of a long commute.
  Our legislation seeks to extend the benefits of successful 
telecommuting programs to more of our nation's small businesses. 
Specifically, it establishes a pilot program in the Small Business 
Administration, SBA, to raise awareness about telecommuting among small 
business employers and to encourage those small businesses to establish 
telecommuting programs for their employees.
  Additionally, an important provision in our bill directs the SBA 
Administrator to undertake special efforts for businesses owned by, or 
employing, persons with disabilities and disabled America veterans. At 
the end of the day, telecommuting can provide more than just 
environmental benefits and improved quality of life. It can open the 
door to people who have been precluded from working in a traditional 
office setting due to physical disabilities.
  Our legislation is also limited in cost and scope. It establishes the 
pilot program in a maximum of five SBA regions and caps the total cost 
to five million dollars over two years. It also restricts the SBA to 
activities specifically proscribed in the legislation: developing 
educational materials; conducting outreach to small business; and 
acquiring equipment for demonstration purposes. Finally, it requires 
the SBA to prepare and submit a report to Congress evaluating the pilot 
program.
  Several hurdles to establishing successful telecommuting programs 
could be cleared by enacting our legislation. In fact, the number one 
reported obstacle to implementing a telecommuting program is a lack of 
know-how. Our bill will go a long way towards educating small business 
owners on how they can draft guidelines to make a telework program an 
affordable, manageable reality.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the Small 
Business Telecommuting Act be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 522

       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 ``Small Business Telecommuting 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) telecommuting reduces the volume of peak commuter 
     traffic, thereby reducing traffic congestion and air 
     pollution;
       (2) the Nation's communities can benefit from 
     telecommuting, which gives workers more time to spend at home 
     with their families;
       (3) it is in the national interest to raise awareness 
     within the small business community of telecommuting options 
     for employees;
       (4) the small business community can benefit from offering 
     telecommuting options to employees because such options make 
     it easier for small employers to retain valued employees and 
     employees with irreplaceable institutional memory;
       (5) companies with telecommuting programs have found that 
     telecommuting can boost employee productivity 5 percent to 20 
     percent, thereby saving businesses valuable resources and 
     time;
       (6) 60 percent of the workforce is involved in information 
     work (an increase of 43 percent since 1990), allowing and 
     encouraging decentralization of paid work to occur; and
       (7) individuals with disabilities, including disabled 
     American veterans, who own or are employed by small 
     businesses could benefit from telecommuting to their 
     workplaces.

[[Page S2224]]

     SEC. 3. SMALL BUSINESS TELECOMMUTING PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--In accordance with this Act, the 
     Administrator shall conduct, in not more than 5 of the Small 
     Business Administration's regions, a pilot program to raise 
     awareness about telecommuting among small business employers 
     and to encourage such employers to offer telecommuting 
     options to employees.
       (b) Special Outreach to Individuals With Disabilities.--In 
     carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator shall make 
     special efforts to do outreach to--
       (1) businesses owned by or employing individuals with 
     disabilities, and disabled American veterans in particular;
       (2) Federal, State, and local agencies having knowledge and 
     expertise in assisting individuals with disabilities or 
     disabled American veterans; and
       (3) any group or organization, the primary purpose of which 
     is to aid individuals with disabilities or disabled American 
     veterans.
       (c) Permissible Activities.--In carrying out the pilot 
     program, the Administrator may only--
       (1) produce educational materials and conduct presentations 
     designed to raise awareness in the small business community 
     of the benefits and the ease of telecommuting;
       (2) conduct outreach--
       (A) to small business concerns that are considering 
     offering telecommuting options; and
       (B) as provided in subsection (b); and
       (3) acquire telecommuting technologies and equipment to be 
     used for demonstration purposes.
       (d) Selection of Regions.--In determining which regions 
     will participate in the pilot program, the Administrator 
     shall give priority consideration to regions in which Federal 
     agencies and private-sector employers have demonstrated a 
     strong regional commitment to telecommuting.

     SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

       Not later than 2 years after the first date on which funds 
     are appropriated to carry out this Act, the Administrator 
     shall transmit to the Committee on Small Business of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business 
     of the Senate a report containing the results of an 
     evaluation of the pilot program and any recommendations as to 
     whether the pilot program, with or without modification, 
     should be extended to include the participation of all Small 
     Business Administration regions.

     SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
     the Small Business Administration;
       (2) the term ``disability'' has the same meaning as in 
     section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
     U.S.C. 12102);
       (3) the term ``pilot program'' means the program 
     established under section 3; and
       (4) the term ``telecommuting'' means the use of 
     telecommunications to perform work functions under 
     circumstances which reduce or eliminate the need to commute.

     SEC. 6. TERMINATION.

       The pilot program shall terminate 2 years after the first 
     date on which funds are appropriated to carry out this Act.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Small 
     Business Administration $5,000,000 to carry out this Act.
                                 ______