[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 171 (Wednesday, November 18, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H13075-H13077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     AUTHORIZING THE SCORE PROGRAM

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1839) to amend the Small Business Act to improve SCORE, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1839

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

     SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF VOLUNTEER REPRESENTATION AND 
                   BENCHMARK REPORTS.

       (a) Expansion of Volunteer Representation.--Section 
     8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)) 
     is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(i)'' after ``(B)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(ii) The Administrator shall ensure that SCORE, 
     established under this subparagraph, carries out a plan to 
     increase the proportion of mentors who are from socially or 
     economically disadvantaged backgrounds and, on an annual 
     basis, reports to the Administrator on the implementation of 
     this subparagraph.''.
       (b) Benchmark Reports.--Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small 
     Business Act (15

[[Page H13076]]

     U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)), as amended, is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) The Administrator shall ensure that SCORE, 
     established under this subparagraph, establishes benchmarks 
     for use in evaluating the performance of its activities and 
     of its volunteers. The benchmarks shall include benchmarks 
     relating to the demographic characteristics and the 
     geographic characteristics of persons assisted by SCORE, 
     benchmarks related to the hours spent mentoring by 
     volunteers, and benchmarks relating to the performance of the 
     persons assisted by SCORE. SCORE shall report, on an annual 
     basis, to the Administrator the extent to which the 
     benchmarks established under this clause are being 
     attained.''.

     SEC. 2. MENTORING AND NETWORKING.

       Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     637(b)(1)(B)), as amended, is further amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(iv) The Administrator shall ensure that SCORE, 
     established under this subparagraph, establishes a mentoring 
     program for small business concerns that provides one-on-one 
     advice to small business concerns from qualified counselors. 
     For purposes of this clause, qualified counselors are 
     counselors with at least 10 years experience in the industry 
     sector or area of responsibility of the small business 
     concern seeking advice.
       ``(v) The Administrator shall carry out a networking 
     program through SCORE, established under this subparagraph, 
     that provides small business concerns with the opportunity to 
     make business contacts in their industry or geographic 
     region.''.

     SEC. 3. NAME OF PROGRAM CHANGED TO SCORE.

       (a) Name Change.--The Small Business Act is amended as 
     follows:
       (1) In section 8(b)(1)(B) (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)), by 
     striking ``Executives (SCORE)'' and inserting ``Executives 
     (in this Act referred to as `SCORE')''.
       (2) In section 7(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) (15 U.S.C. 
     636(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII)), by striking ``the Service Corps of 
     Retired Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE''.
       (3) In section 20 (15 U.S.C. 631 note)--
       (A) in subsection (d)(1)(E), by striking ``the Service 
     Corps of Retired Executives program'' and inserting 
     ``SCORE''; and
       (B) in subsection (e)(1)(E), by striking ``the Service 
     Corps of Retired Executives program'' and inserting 
     ``SCORE''.
       (4) In section 33(b)(2) (15 U.S.C. 657c(b)(2)), by striking 
     ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and inserting 
     ``SCORE''.
       (b) Elimination of ACE.--Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)), as amended, is further 
     amended by striking ``and an Active Corps of Executive 
     (ACE)''.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 20 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 note) 
     is amended by inserting the following new subsection after 
     subsection (e):
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations for SCORE.--There is 
     authorized to be appropriated $7,000,000 for SCORE under 
     section 8(b)(1) for each of the fiscal years 2010 and 
     2011.''.

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


                             General Leave

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, when first starting out, entrepreneurs 
often struggled with basics, like marketing their services, accessing 
capital, and learning to navigate the tax code. In the earliest stages 
of development, mistakes in these areas can mean the difference between 
a venture's success and its failure. That is why the SCORE program was 
established to help fledgling business owners learn the ropes of 
entrepreneurship.
  By matching new business owners with practiced hands, SCORE helps 
entrepreneurs trade best practices and learn from the mistakes of their 
forerunners. The program functions as a mentoring service, one that 
allows retired business owners to continue giving back to their 
communities. This is a laudable goal to be sure. But unfortunately, 
SCORE has not kept pace with the shifting marketplace. H.R. 1839 will 
update and enhance the program, tailoring it to meet the needs of 
today's entrepreneurs.
  With the economy in flux, small firms require specialized training in 
areas not previously offered. To begin, technology plays a vastly more 
important role in entrepreneurship than it has in the past.

                              {time}  1045

  This bill recognizes that fact and modernizes the SCORE to deliver 
the kind of training that is critical to doing business in the 
information age.
  Just as the business world is changing, so, too, is the face of 
entrepreneurship. In recent years, we have seen a surge in the number 
of women and minorities starting their own firms; and yet for some 
reason, SCORE has failed to reflect that trend.
  Mr. Buchanan's bill will promote greater diversity within the 
program. That way, we can better match small business owners with 
mentors and be sure every entrepreneur, regardless of race, gender, 
industry or region, has access to the specialized resources they need 
to be successful.
  This bill helps train the next generation's small business 
innovators. It allows them to sidestep the pitfalls of early 
entrepreneurship and get straight to work doing what they do best: 
creating jobs and growing our economy.
  H.R. 1839 is an important piece of legislation, and I thank 
Representative Buchanan for his contribution.
  I urge support and reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  I rise today in strong support of my legislation to modernize the 
Small Business Administration's small business counseling program. The 
Service Corps of Retired Executives program, also known as SCORE, 
provides entrepreneurs with the small business advice of working and 
retired executive volunteers.
  For years, SCORE has been providing entrepreneurship with free, 
confidential, and valued small business advice. With double-digit 
unemployment rates, more people will be trying to start their own 
business today. Their success is vital to an economic recovery. This 
bill will help ensure that qualified volunteers are available to 
provide one-on-one advice and counsel to small businesses.
  Research shows that small businesses are five times more likely to 
start if they get assistance from a government-supported program such 
as SCORE. This bill will require SCORE administrators to actively 
recruit and maintain volunteer mentors and track their success. 
Counselors will be required to have at least 10 years of similar 
experience.
  Earlier this year, the chairwoman from the Manasota SCORE chapter, 
Jeannette Mills, testified in support of my bill before the small 
business Subcommittee on Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade. 
She said, ``SCORE fulfills a vital role for America's small business 
owners and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing much needed technical 
assistance. As you know, many small businesses continue to struggle 
with layoffs, access to capital, cash flow and overall management 
issues advise. SCORE has a proven track record of both being creative 
and saving jobs by improving business survival rates as well as 
accelerating small business formation.''
  Here are some facts about SCORE for people that aren't aware. They 
have assisted in more than 523,000 people in the last year; they 
provided counseling to more than 8.5 million business owners; they've 
conducted more than 322,000 counseling sessions; they've received 3.2 
million visitors to their Web site in just the last year; they have 
helped create more than 20,000 new small businesses.
  I know from my own experience in the 1980s, I remember the U.S. 
Chamber came out with a statistic, as I remember today, 92 percent that 
start up small businesses fail in 5 years. But the IFA had a statistic 
during that time, the International Franchise Association, that 80 
percent of businesses succeed. Because of that partnership, they could 
be in business for themselves, but not by themselves. That's what SCORE 
provides. We want a much higher probability of success, not a 92 
percent failure rate. We want an 80 percent or better-type success rate 
for small businesses that will create jobs.
  Also, currently SCORE has 389 chapter locations throughout the United 
States with over 10,000 volunteers nationwide.
  I'd like to close by thanking my good friend, and her incredible 
leadership on small business, Chairwoman

[[Page H13077]]

Velazquez, as well as Ranking Member Graves for their support and 
assistance with this important bill.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in 
support of H.R. 1839, ``to amend the small business act to improve 
SCORE, and for other purposes.'' I would like to thank my colleague, 
Congressman Vern Buchanan, for his leadership on this important 
legislation. The SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) program 
provides entrepreneurs with the business advice of working and retired 
executive volunteers.
  This legislation will modernize the Small Business Administration's 
(SBA) small business counseling program. This legislation requires the 
Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure that 
SCORE carries out a plan to increase the proportion of small business 
mentors from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and 
reports annually to the Administrator on plan implementation, 
establishes benchmarks for evaluating its activities and volunteers and 
establishes a mentoring program of one-on-one advice to small 
businesses from qualified counselors.
  Over the years SCORE has been providing entrepreneurs with free, 
confidential, and valuable small business advice. With unprecedented 
unemployment rates, more people will be trying to start their own 
business. Their success is vital to our economic recovery. This bill 
will help ensure that qualified volunteers are available to provide 
one-on-one advice and counsel to small businesses.
  Research shows that small businesses are five times more likely to 
start if they get assistance from a government supported program such 
as SCORE. The ``Retired Executives Building Better Businesses Act of 
2009'' would require SCORE administrators to actively recruit and 
maintain volunteer mentors and track their success. Counselors would be 
required to have at least ten years of similar experience.
  My district is the perfect example of why small businesses are so 
vital to the nation's economy. Houston's newer and growing economic 
sub-centers have relied more on small business as their cornerstone 
than the older Central Business District. According to a report issued 
by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration 
findings suggest that while small firms support urban economic growth, 
as development proceeds they grow substantially. In turn, small firm 
growth plays an important role in urban economic development which is 
likely to lead to economic growth for the entire local economy. 
Moreover, small businesses--including minority- and women-owned 
companies--are the leading employers in the Houston area and provide 
nearly half of all jobs in Texas.
  Many small businesses continue to struggle with layoffs, access to 
capital, cash flow and overall management issues. SCORE has a proven 
track record of both creating and saving jobs by improving business 
survival rates as well as accelerating small business formation which 
is why this legislation is so important. SCORE fulfills a vital role 
for America's small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs by 
providing much needed technical assistance. In 2007 SCORE volunteers 
assisted in the creation of almost 20,000 new small businesses and help 
create more than 25,000 new jobs each year. Currently, SCORE has 389 
chapters in locations throughout the United States with 10,500 
volunteers nationwide.
  I urge my colleagues to support small business by voting in favor of 
this vital legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 1839, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________