[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 2, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H6090-H6093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2001

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2666) to amend the Small Business Act to direct the 
administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a 
vocational annual technical entrepreneurship development program, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2666

       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 ``Vocational and Technical 
     Entrepreneurship Development Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et 
     seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating section 36 as section 37; and
       (2) by inserting after section 35 the following new 
     section:

     ``SEC. 36. VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
                   DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the following 
     definitions apply:
       ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
     Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
       ``(2) Association.--The term `Association' means the 
     association of small business development centers recognized 
     under section 21(a)(3)(A).
       ``(3) Program.--The term `program' means the program 
     established under subsection (b).
       ``(4) Small business development center.--The term `small 
     business development center' means a small business 
     development center described in section 21.
       ``(5) State small business development center.--The term 
     `State small business development center' means a small 
     business development center from each State selected by the 
     Administrator, in consultation with the Association and 
     giving substantial weight to the Association's 
     recommendations, to carry out the program on a statewide 
     basis in such State.
       ``(b) Establishment.--In accordance with this section, the 
     Administrator shall establish a program under which the 
     Administrator shall make grants to State small business 
     development centers to enable such centers to provide, on a 
     statewide basis, technical assistance to secondary schools, 
     or to postsecondary vocational or technical schools, for the 
     development and implementation of curricula designed to 
     promote vocational and technical entrepreneurship.
       ``(c) Minimum Grant.--The Administrator may make no grant 
     under the program for an amount less than $200,000.
       ``(d) Application.--Each State small business development 
     center seeking a grant under the program shall submit to the 
     Administrator an application in such form as the 
     Administrator may require. The application shall include 
     information regarding the applicant's goals and objectives 
     for the educational programs to be assisted.
       ``(e) Report to Administrator.--The Administrator shall 
     make a condition of each grant under the program that not 
     later than 18 months after the receipt of the grant the 
     recipient shall transmit to the Administrator a report 
     describing how the grant funds were used.
       ``(f) Cooperative Agreements and Contracts.--The 
     Administrator may enter into a cooperative agreement or 
     contract with any State small business development center 
     receiving a grant under this section to provide additional 
     assistance that furthers the purposes of this section.
       ``(g) Evaluation of Program.--Not later than March 31, 
     2004, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report 
     containing an evaluation of the program.
       ``(h) Clearinghouse.--The Association shall act as a 
     clearinghouse of information and expertise regarding 
     vocational and technical entrepreneurship education programs. 
     In each fiscal year in which grants are made under the 
     program, the Administrator shall provide additional 
     assistance to the Association to carry out the functions 
     described in this subsection.
       ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004. Such sums shall 
     remain available until expended.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez) each will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H6091]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).


                             General Leave

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the purpose of H.R. 2666 is to provide entrepreneurial 
assistance to persons with vocational and technical skills to help them 
own and operate their own businesses, rather than being employees of 
companies in which they have no direct ownership interest.
  A further and equally important purpose of the Act is to stimulate 
economic activity to create new job opportunities, and to help 
tradesmen and tradeswomen realize the full potential of the free 
enterprise system.
  Many persons within the United States have technical or vocational 
skills, but do not have business experience or training to help them 
succeed in the small business community. Currently, small businesses 
employ mechanics, technicians, carpenters, plumbers, machinists, and 
draftsmen. However, the Act is needed to provide the essential training 
in business constantly necessary for these skilled workers to start 
their own businesses, to survive in the business world, and to grow.
  In providing these needed services, the Act relies upon the present 
infrastructure of the Small Business Development Centers, which are 
proven by past performance to deliver services that greatly enhance the 
chances of a small business surviving as compared with those who do not 
receive such assistance.
  The present global economy requires that this Nation remain as a 
competitor. Fostering the growth of small business, as it is 
anticipated this Act will do, is another building block in 
strengthening our international competitiveness.
  The Act establishes a 3-year pilot program providing Small Business 
Administration grants to Small Business Development Centers for 
technical assistance to secondary schools and postsecondary vocational 
and technical schools. It also aims to develop and implement curricula 
to promote vocational and technical entrepreneurship.
  The grant applicant must outline its goals and objectives for 
assistance to be provided in the educational curricula to be 
implemented with grant funds.
  It is the desire of the Committee that States' Small Business 
Development Centers pay particular focus to helping underserved 
subcenters in the area of vocational and technical entrepreneurship 
training.

                              {time}  1615

  Those small business development centers receiving grants under the 
pilot program must report to the Small Business Administration within 
18 months. The 18 months starting from the date they receive the grant 
monies and detailing how the grant funds were used.
  In addition, not later than March 31, 2004, the SBA must conduct an 
evaluation of the program and report the results of this evaluation to 
Congress. The Act designates the Association of Small Business 
Development Centers as a clearinghouse for the collection of 
information and expertise regarding vocational and technical or 
entrepreneurship programs. The minimum amount of a grant under the 
pilot program is $200,000. The bill authorizes $7 million annually for 
each year of the 3-year pilot program.
  Lastly, I want to commend my fellow member of the Committee on Small 
Business, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady), for the hard 
work he has put in as the author of this legislation. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 2666.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the time to thank the gentleman 
from Illinois (Chairman Manzullo) and the ranking member, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), of the Committee on Small 
Business, as well as the committee staff's hard work in bringing this 
bill to the floor. I thank them all.
  We are all still shocked, saddened, and angry as a Nation at the 
tragic events that unfolded September 11, 2001. The character of 
America was attacked, our values and our way of life. The spirit that 
is America is characterized by our freedoms, the ability for each and 
every individual, regardless of circumstances, to build a better life. 
We must rebuild our lives, rebuild our economy, rebuild our 
communities, and rebuild our Nation.
  A part of the American freedom includes the spirit of 
entrepreneurship, talented individuals starting their own business. 
Each day in my home State of Pennsylvania, five new businesses are 
started because of the work of the Small Business Development Centers. 
These centers have developed a proven system that works to provide 
education on starting and managing a business.
  My bill, The Vocational and Technical Entrepreneurship Development 
Program Act of 2001, will put the same successful curriculum used by 
the SBDCs into selected vocational and technical schools throughout the 
United States. This bill will allow those who wish to return to school 
to learn a new trade and those first-time technical and vocational 
graduates an opportunity to not only start their own business but to 
have a successful business by being fully prepared to manage a firm.
  For decades, small businesses have contributed to most of our 
employment growth by creating half of all jobs and doing it more than 
60 percent faster than larger firms. Let us look toward the creation 
and successful maintenance of business enterprises to help rebuild our 
economy and strengthen our Nation.
  Again, I would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman 
Manzullo) and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez), of the Committee on Small Business, as well as all the 
working of the committee staff.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she 
might consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), ranking 
member of the Committee on Small Business.
  (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady), for producing this innovative 
legislation.
  At the core of H.R. 2666, The Vocational and Technical 
Entrepreneurship Development Act is a great idea. Start with two of the 
most powerful forces for productivity and innovation in the American 
economy, join them, and then harness their combined energy.
  This bill will join the productive powers of a skilled workforce with 
the innovation of entrepreneurship. This act will help develop a 
curriculum that will help these workers get the training they need to 
build and grow their own small business.
  There are many skilled workers out there who see a demand for more of 
this field. They may be working for shops that have to turn away new 
jobs. So they decide to start their own business to meet that demand, 
but in many cases, they do not know where to start.
  Running your own business is complex and requires new skills, skills 
that can be taught and learned. It is even more important now as we 
enter less certain times that we harness the talent and energy of this 
entrepreneurial class.
  Small business forms the backbone of our communities and our economy. 
In the past decade, small businesses realized unprecedented growth and 
job creation. We want to spur even more growth in this untapped market 
sector of the economy at a time when we really need it.
  The gentleman from Pennsylvania's (Mr. Brady) bill will do just that 
by

[[Page H6092]]

joining the innovation of entrepreneurship with the hard work of 
skilled labor. Combined, they build a new strong force for our economy.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2666, the Vocational and 
Technical Entrepreneurship Development Act and would like to commend 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Brady, for his proposal.
  This initiative brings together two great traditions of American 
enterprise. First is our well-founded faith in hard work and skills as 
the sure way to a better life. Plumbers and carpenters, joiners and 
electricians, auto mechanics and computer technicians, they would all 
agree--you must have skills to succeed. We know that Americans work 
harder and smarter than anyone else in the world. Our families, 
communities and nation benefits from this hard work.
  Mr. Speaker, there is another American tradition leading to a better 
life. That is entrepreneurship--talented people taking the reins and 
responsibility for their own business. It is a bedrock truth that these 
small businesses support half of our economy. More importantly, small 
businesses employ our skilled workers--our mechanics, technicians, 
electricians, and carpenters. Small businesses furnish half our jobs, 
and nearly half our gross domestic product. There is no boundary to 
what small business can do, and we want to help expand this limitless 
sector.
  My colleague's legislation would create a one-of-a-kind training 
program that unites these two long-standing traditions by assisting 
vocational and technical students become entrepreneurs in addition to 
skilled workers. Many of today's workers who participate in career 
training or vocational education, are not provided the entrepreneurial 
knowledge that can assist them to successfully grow and develop their 
own business venture. H.R. 2666 utilizes the existing network of small 
business development centers (SBDCs) to transfer their entrepreneurial 
expertise to students enrolled in secondary schools, or postsecondary 
vocational or technical schools.
  Created by Congress in 1980, the SBDC Program fosters economic 
development by providing management, technical and research assistance 
to small businesses. However, they do not have an organized program for 
providing this type of assistance. By establishing this effort 
initially as a pilot, we can build upon the experience and innovation 
of SBDCs to expand their resources and if proven successful, the pilot 
could be made a permanent part of their services.
  Mr. Speaker, for 20 years the SBDC Program has been SBA's primary 
delivery system for entrepreneurial assistance. Located in each state, 
the program's counseling services guides and mentors business owners 
through the process of addressing a business development opportunity or 
problem. Over eleven hundred service centers, serving every 
Congressional District, ensure small businesses have the support they 
need.
  H.R. 2666 requires SBA to establish a pilot project offering grants 
to selected State Small Business Development Center Programs. The State 
Program will implement the assistance on a statewide basis by 
partnering their individual service centers with secondary schools, or 
postsecondary vocational or technical schools. The purpose of the 
partnership is to develop a cohesive curriculum on starting and 
operating a successful business venture, thus assisting students in 
these institutions obtain the entrepreneurial knowledge they need to 
strike-out on their own. The curriculum will be offered to the students 
by their teachers or instructors. In addition, the curriculum can be 
modified by the teacher to provide assistance that is relevant to the 
particularly industry sectors for which the students are learning the 
skills. The local SBDC service center will also be available if 
students need further counseling or training during, or even after, 
their schooling.
  SBDC counselors will play an important role during the initial 
development phase by assisting the teacher prepare and deliver the 
curriculum, but this initial assistance will not become permanent. I 
want to assure my fellow colleagues that SBDC resources will not be 
used to staff educational institutions. The purpose of H.R. 2666 is not 
to replace teachers with SBDC counselors, but to develop the curriculum 
that enables teachers to transfer the entrepreneurial knowledge to 
their students. It is important to differentiate the curriculum 
developed through the partnership from current classroom training 
sessions offered by SBDCs. These training sessions are offered in 
conjunction with SBDC host institutions and in no way should H.R. 2666 
be construed to limit them.
  H.R. 2666 will also increase the productivity and strength of the 
overall SBDC Program. By increasing the number of potential 
entrepreneurs, the number of potential SBDC clients increases. It also 
increases the effectiveness of current SBDC assistance by offering 
entrepreneurial knowledge during the learning phase and before the 
initial entrepreneurial phase. After graduating from their career or 
vocational training, students will have the basic tools and 
understanding that will make future SBDC assistance more efficient and 
productive, increasing the rate of successful start-ups.
  In closing Mr. Speaker, by providing entrepreneurial knowledge at the 
same time workers are learning a specific trade skill, career 
opportunities are expanded. Students not only become more marketable in 
the workforce, but can become a small business owner. In addition, they 
become the employer, expanding the local job market, and revitalizing 
and developing the economic growth of the community.
  Mr. Speaker, we want more Americans to run their own shop. This 
proposal goes a long way to helping build a new entrepreneurial 
generation that will create more jobs and provide for more families 
while serving our communities.
  I urge my colleagues to support this innovative initiative.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he 
might consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a dear 
friend.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my good 
friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania's (Mr. Brady) bill, H.R. 2666, 
The Vocational and Technical Entrepreneurship Development Act.
  I support this bill because it provides well-needed assistance to a 
critical, critical element of our workforce. Often neglected on this 
floor, a workforce that is often neglected by society as well. Many who 
work in the trade sector, from construction to plumbing to carpentry, 
go out every day and perform jobs that are absolutely essential to our 
Nation and our economy. Yet there are seemingly few incentives offered 
to young people who may wish to pursue such a career.
  We certainly provide accolades to the young student who studies the 
liberal arts. Indeed, the young man, the young lady who reads Ellison 
or Dickens is often touted and rightfully provided with loans or grants 
to help with his or her studies.
  But what about the student whose skills and interests lie with an 
area of vocation? They are just as valuable to America, just as 
intelligent. They need our support.
  I applaud the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) for this bill. 
I certainly know of many people in my own hometown of Patterson, New 
Jersey, who would benefit from this initiative. Providing grants from 
the Small Business Administration to provide technical assistance to 
high schools and vocational and technical schools to promote small 
business ownership in their curriculum, I believe, is a great idea.
  Many who work in the trade sector enter these professions with the 
goal of one day starting their own business. So this program offers a 
perfect initiative, a perfect incentive to enter the trade sector by 
giving students greater options and providing training as a business 
owner.
  This legislation will help get young future trade workers thinking 
about what it actually takes to run and own a business. This is a 
great, well-needed initiative; and I urge my colleagues' support.
  I might add in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, that while I commend the 
sponsor of this bill, I also commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Manzullo) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for 
establishing an environment within the Committee on Small Business to 
respond to all of America, not just a particular segment. They have 
provided such an environment, and I commend them for that. And I also 
commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady).
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), and I want to thank the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) for his remarks. Unfortunately, in these 
last couple of weeks, we all feel, in our heart, that we are all from 
New York.
  (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)

[[Page H6093]]

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
legislation; and I want to commend the chairman, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Manzullo), and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Velazquez), for their leadership of the Committee on 
Small Business and the expeditious as well as impartial way in which 
they handle our business. I think it is a testament to their leadership 
that both these bills are on the floor today, and I simply commend 
them.
  I also want to commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady). 
He has put his finger right on a tremendous need. I interact with many 
small business operations, with many trades persons, and I can guaranty 
the moment this legislation is put into effect the Chicago Public 
School System, the Chicago Federation of Labor, the City Colleges of 
Chicago, and many other small units in the area where I live and work 
will pounce on it as a godsend and a lifesaver.
  I also want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney), 
because he also put his finger on another great need, and that is the 
need to help small businesses comply with the myriad of regulations 
that they sometimes have to go through and really have difficulty 
figuring out what to do. So this is a great day, I think, for small 
business and a great day for the Committee on Small Business. And so I 
commend all those involved.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time, and I commend my colleagues for bringing H.R. 
2666 forward. There probably is no better time, Mr. Speaker, for us to 
bring this forward than today.
  We know entrepreneurship makes our country great. In San Diego, there 
are many new businesses in technological and biological fields that 
have mushroomed as an impetus for our robust economy. We know at the 
university level, San Diego State University's highly acclaimed 
business administration school has an entire program teaching its 
students the skills of entrepreneurship, and that is why it is so 
important we resolve and bring this measure forward today because it 
provides the equity we all need for making such critical training 
available to students of vocational and technical schools.
  I know as a school board member that we often wrestled with the 
programs that were coming forward, actually bringing students often out 
of the vocational arena. We need to value their creativity and their 
moxie, their desire to really have an impact, to have their own 
businesses and to bring their creativity and often their risk-taking 
into this arena and make this kind of training available to them.
  So I applaud my colleagues for this. We need to provide for all 
business entrepreneurs at all educational levels as we move forward 
with these kinds of initiatives.
  Included in this initiative is a report back to the Congress in 18 
months, and I will certainly be very interested in learning what became 
of these dollars. Often we do not always know. It will give us an 
opportunity to look at the great improvements and the successes that 
came out of the program and give us an opportunity to learn as well 
from the students, from the people that were involved.
  I know that we are going to have many new businesses created out of 
this initiative, and I look forward to seeing that happen.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I simply want to thank the 
chairman and ranking member and the staff of the Committee on Small 
Business for allowing this bill to come to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden of Oregon). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) that 
the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2666, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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