[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 98 (Monday, June 18, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H6623-H6624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SBA VETERANS' PROGRAMS ACT OF 2007

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 2366) to reauthorize the veterans entrepreneurial 
development programs of the Small Business Administration, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2366

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``SBA 
     Veterans' Programs Act of 2007''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

            TITLE I--OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 101. Office of Veterans Business Development.

               TITLE II--VETERANS ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES

Sec. 201. Veterans Assistance and Services program.

        TITLE III--EXPANDING VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS

Sec. 301. Increasing the number of outreach centers.
Sec. 302. Independent study on gaps in availability of outreach 
              centers.

            TITLE I--OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

     SEC. 101. OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Participation in TAP Workshops.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     increase veteran outreach by ensuring that Veteran Business 
     Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide 
     basis, in the workshops of the Transition Assistance Program 
     of the Department of Labor.
       ``(2) Presentations.--In carrying out paragraph (1), a 
     Center may provide grants to eligible entities located in 
     Transition Assistance Program locations to make presentations 
     on the opportunities available from the Administration for 
     recently separating veterans. Each such presentation must 
     include, at a minimum, the entrepreneurial and business 
     training resources available from the Administration.
       ``(3) Reports.--The Associate Administrator shall submit to 
     Congress progress reports on the implementation of this 
     subsection.
       ``(d) Women Veterans Business Training Resource Program.--
     The Associate Administrator shall establish a Women Veterans 
     Business Training Resource Program. The program shall--
       ``(1) compile information on resources available to women 
     veterans for business training, including resources for--
       ``(A) vocational and technical education;
       ``(B) general business skills, such as marketing and 
     accounting; and
       ``(C) business assistance programs targeted to women 
     veterans; and
       ``(2) disseminate the information through Veteran Business 
     Outreach Centers and women's business centers.''.

               TITLE II--VETERANS ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES

     SEC. 201. VETERANS ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES PROGRAM.

       Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(n) Veterans Assistance and Services Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--A Small Business Development Center may 
     apply for an additional grant to carry out a veterans 
     assistance and services program.
       ``(2) Elements of program.--Under a program under paragraph 
     (1), the Center shall--
       ``(A) create a marketing campaign to promote awareness and 
     education of the services of the Center that are available to 
     veterans, and to target the campaign toward veterans, 
     disabled veterans, military units, Federal agencies, and 
     veterans organizations;
       ``(B) use technology-assisted online counseling and 
     distance learning technology to overcome the impediments to 
     entrepreneurship faced by veterans and members of the Armed 
     Forces; and
       ``(C) increase coordination among organizations that assist 
     veterans, including by establishing virtual integration of 
     service providers and offerings for a one-stop point of 
     contact for veterans who are entrepreneurs or small business 
     owners.
       ``(3) Minimum amount.--Each grant under this subsection 
     shall be for at least $75,000.
       ``(4) Maximum amount.--A grant under this subsection may 
     not exceed $250,000.
       ``(5) Funding.--Subject to amounts approved in advance in 
     appropriations Acts, the Administration may make grants or 
     enter into cooperative agreements to carry out the provisions 
     of this subsection.''.

        TITLE III--EXPANDING VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS

     SEC. 301. INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OUTREACH CENTERS.

       The Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
     shall use the authority in section 8(b)(17) of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 647(b)) to ensure that the number of 
     Veterans Business Outreach Centers throughout the United 
     States increases--
       (1) by at least 2, for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009; 
     and
       (2) by the number that the Administrator considers 
     appropriate, based on existing need, for each fiscal year 
     thereafter.

     SEC. 302. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON GAPS IN AVAILABILITY OF 
                   OUTREACH CENTERS.

       The Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
     shall sponsor an independent study on gaps in the 
     availability of Veterans Business Outreach Centers across the 
     United States. The purpose of the study shall be to identify 
     the gaps that do exist so as to inform decisions on funding 
     and on the allocation and coordination of resources. Not 
     later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on 
     the results of the study.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Velazquez) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. David 
Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Loebsack).

[[Page H6624]]

  Mr. LOEBSACK. I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding, and 
I thank the gentleman from Florida for introducing this legislation.
  I rise today to voice my strong support for the SBA's Veterans' 
Programs Act.
  The SBA's Veterans' Business Outreach Initiative was established to 
facilitate business ownership among disabled veterans by providing one-
stop assistance and counseling. Today's legislation will expand the 
success of this initiative.
  As an exemplary public/private partnership, Veterans' Business 
Outreach Centers represent the comprehensive, cooperative and effective 
support that our Nation can and should provide our country's veterans.
  This program provides greater opportunity to returning servicemembers 
and encourages economic development in communities across the country. 
Our troops fight for our country abroad, and we have a responsibility 
to provide for their future at home. Their sacrifice warrants our 
support. And they deserve every opportunity to succeed in business 
after their dedicated service to our country.
  This bill provides veterans with the community and government support 
necessary to ensure their success, and I support its passage.
  Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, veterans have not only been critical to 
the defense of our Nation, but with the increasing number of service 
men and women engaging in entrepreneurship, they have also been 
invaluable in helping our economy grow. These men and women have 
dedicated their lives to preserving our freedom. It is crucial that we 
show our appreciation for their service. The SBA Veterans' Programs Act 
of 2007 does just that.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2366, the SBA 
Veterans' Program Act of 2007. I urge its adoption.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2366, 
the SBA Veterans' Programs Act of 2007. This legislation will assist 
our soldiers when then return home with opportunities and information 
about starting a small business.
  More than a million and a half (1,502,125) men and women have 
answered the call to serve their country since 2001. They interrupted 
their careers, put their families economic security at risk, and face 
big personal challenges upon returning home.
  I recently visited Iraq and Afghanistan. That trip gave me an even 
greater appreciation for the significant sacrifices our soldiers must 
make and must cope with for the rest of their lives. If our soldiers 
faced mortal danger every day abroad, let us help them have economic 
security when they return home.
  It isn't just the veteran who makes the sacrifice, their families do 
as well: their parents, their spouses, their children, girlfriends and 
boyfriends and siblings. They give up so much in defense of our 
country.
  It is our job, as Members of Congress, to make sure that our Nation 
lives up to its commitment to our veterans. It is a simple pact we have 
made with our troops--and one we are obligated to fulfill: after they 
have sacrificed to serve our country on the battlefield, we must do all 
we can to serve them here at home. The cost of any war must include 
caring for the warrior.
  This legislation helps our veterans get started with business 
opportunities in their communities. It does so by providing grants, 
information services, and personal assistance to help veterans evaluate 
business opportunities; increasing the number of veteran business 
outreach centers around the country, and encouraging further assistance 
to women veterans.
  Countless soldiers are returning from their tours of duty with new 
confidence and skills developed during their time in the military. This 
SBA program will help to ensure that those new abilities are put to 
good use when they return to civilian life.
  This bill is the right thing to do for those who have given so much 
and it will directly impact Vermont and every State around the country. 
97 percent of all Vermont firms are small businesses. My office has 
been involved in helping the Vermont Small Business Development Centers 
(SBDC) run business readiness classes for veterans. The Vermont SBDC is 
the primary small business assistance resource sought out by small 
business clients, lenders, government agencies and other economic 
development partners. The Vermont SBDC is the keystone in a statewide 
business assistance infrastructure tying together all appropriate 
resources and serving as a ``one-stop'' gateway and clearing house to 
serve small businesses' needs. Drawing on collaborative relationships 
among service providers, Vermont SBDC leverages economic development 
resources of all kinds for advancement of small businesses, growing the 
local economy.
  Roughly 6 percent of deployed soldiers have small businesses 
depending on them. Veterans face a number of unique challenges, from 
increasing lengths and number of deployments overseas, to translating 
their military experience into business ventures. Yet, there is a lack 
of substantive programs to help these businesses survive through 
deployment, and to assist veterans returning home. This program is 
designed to meet current, real-time needs of people on active duty in 
business who now need to leave for protracted periods, or for those who 
have just come back and really ``need'' to do something new with their 
lives.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2366.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2366, the 
Small Business Administration Veterans' Programs Act of 2007. I commend 
my colleague from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) for introducing this 
legislation.
  This bill would authorize the Small Business Administration (SBA) to 
award grants to Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) for the 
establishment of programs that would improve outreach to veterans and 
veterans service organizations. Specifically, this bill would authorize 
SBDCs to use such grant funds to create a marketing campaign to promote 
awareness of the services made available to veterans through that SBDC, 
and to target the campaign toward veterans, disabled veterans, military 
units, federal agencies, and veterans service organizations. The bill 
would also authorize SBDCs to utilize grant funds to develop and expand 
technology-assisted counseling and distance learning services designed 
to help veterans and members of the United States Armed Forces overcome 
barriers to entrepreneurship. This bill would further authorize SBDCs 
to facilitate and increase coordination among organizations that assist 
veterans, including through the integration of service providers and 
offerings into a one-stop point of contact for veterans who are 
entrepreneurs or small business owners.
  This bill would further require that Veterans Business Outreach 
Centers (VBOCs) participate in the U.S. Department of Labor Technical 
Assistance Program (TAP). The Technical Assistance Program is offered 
in 173 locations throughout the United States and 53 locations 
internationally. H.R. 2366 would authorize VBOCs to provide grants to 
eligible entities located in TAP locations to make presentations on the 
opportunities available from the SBA for recently separated veterans. 
According to this bill such presentations must include, at a minimum, 
the entrepreneurial and business training resources available from the 
SBA. This bill would increase the number of authorized VBOCs by two in 
each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009.
  Additionally, H.R. 2366 would direct the SBA to establish a Women 
Veterans Business Training Resource Program. This program would compile 
information on resources available to women veterans for business 
training, including resources for vocational and technical education, 
the development of general business skills, and business assistance 
programs. H.R. 2366 would direct that the SBA disseminate such 
information through VBOCs and women business centers.
  Support for this legislation will help Congress fulfill its 
commitment to ensuring that our veterans and servicemembers receive the 
support they need upon separation from service. I support this 
legislation on behalf of all veterans and servicemembers, in particular 
those veterans and servicemembers from Guam. I urge my colleagues to 
support H.R. 2366.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cardoza). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2366.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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