[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 145 (Monday, October 5, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7126-S7127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 2707. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. Vitter, and Ms. Hirono) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 
2116, to improve certain programs of the Small Business Administration 
to better assist small business customers in accessing broadband 
technology, and for other purposes; which was referred to the Committee 
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship; as follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Broadband and 
     Emerging Information Technology Enhancement Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) According to a report by the Federal Communications 
     Commission entitled ``Connecting America: The National 
     Broadband Plan'', dated March 2010, the Commission recommends 
     that--
       (A) ``To fully implement next-generation technology within 
     its operations, the SBA should also appoint a broadband and 
     emerging IT coordinator. This individual would ensure that 
     SBA programs maintain the requisite broadband expertise, 
     tools and training courses to serve small businesses.'';
       (B) ``Congress should consider ways to leverage existing 
     assistance provided through'' entrepreneurial development 
     programs, ``to focus training on advanced IT and broadband 
     applications'';
       (C) ``Congress could also consider ways to support 
     technology training among women entrepreneurs through'' 
     women's business centers;
       (D) ``The training programs should include an entry-level 
     `Broadband 101' course to give small businesses an 
     introduction to how to capitalize on broadband connectivity, 
     as well as more advanced applications for IT staff.''; and
       (E) small and medium enterprise ``IT training should 
     include resources for non-IT staff, such as how to use e-
     commerce tools for sales, streamline finance with online 
     records or leverage knowledge management across an 
     organization.''.
       (2) According to a report by the Broadband Opportunity 
     Council, dated August 20, 2015, the availability of and 
     access to broadband technology enables--
       (A) greater civic participation, by providing tools for 
     open government and streamlining government process;
       (B) changes in how people access educational resources, 
     collaborate in the educational process, conduct research, and 
     continue to learn anytime, anyplace, and at any pace;
       (C) improved healthcare access, treatments, and 
     information;
       (D) new business models that create business efficiencies, 
     drive job creation, and connect manufacturers and store-
     fronts to clients and partners worldwide; and
       (E) bringing communities together and improvements to 
     public safety, creating a greener planet, and make 
     transportation systems more resilient and efficient.
       (3) According to a report entitled ``The State of the App 
     Economy'', dated October 2014--
       (A) ``More than three-quarters of the highest grossing apps 
     are produced by startups and small companies.''; and
       (B) ``Seventy-eight percent of the leading app companies 
     are located outside Silicon Valley.''.
       (4) According to a report entitled, ``Developer Economics 
     Q1 2015: State of the Developer Nation'', dated February 
     2015, ``The emergence of the app industry over the past eight 
     years has grown to a $120 billion economy.''.

     SEC. 3. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
                   COORDINATOR.

       The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating section 47 as section 48; and
       (2) by inserting after section 46 the following:

     ``SEC. 47. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
       ``(1) the term `Associate Administrator' means the 
     Associate Administrator for the Office of Investment and 
     Innovation; and
       ``(2) the term `broadband and emerging information 
     technology coordinator' means the employee designated to 
     carry out the broadband and emerging information technology 
     coordination responsibilities of the Administration under 
     subsection (b)(1).
       ``(b) Assignment of Coordinator.--
       ``(1) Assignment of coordinator.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall designate a senior employee of the Office 
     of Investment and Innovation to serve as the broadband and 
     emerging information technology coordinator, who--
       ``(A) shall report to the Associate Administrator;
       ``(B) shall work in coordination with--
       ``(i) the chief information officer, the chief technology 
     officer, and the head of the Office of Technology of the 
     Administration; and
       ``(ii) any other Associate Administrator of the 
     Administration determined appropriate by the Associate 
     Administrator;
       ``(C) has experience developing and implementing 
     telecommunications policy in the private sector or 
     government; and
       ``(D) has demonstrated significant experience in the area 
     of broadband or emerging information technology.
       ``(2) Responsibilities of coordinator.--The broadband and 
     emerging information technology coordinator shall--
       ``(A) coordinate programs of the Administration that assist 
     small business concerns in adopting, making innovations in, 
     and using broadband and other emerging information 
     technologies;
       ``(B) serve as the primary liaison of the Administration to 
     other Federal agencies involved in broadband and emerging 
     information technology policy, including the Department of 
     Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, and the Federal 
     Communications Commission;
       ``(C) identify best practices relating to broadband and 
     emerging information technology that may benefit small 
     business concerns; and
       ``(D) identify and catalog tools and training available 
     through the resource partners of the Administration that 
     assist small business concerns in adopting, making 
     innovations in, and using broadband and emerging 
     technologies.
       ``(3) Travel.--Not more than 20 percent of the hours of 
     service by the broadband and emerging information technology 
     coordinator during any fiscal year shall consist of travel 
     outside the United States to perform official duties.
       ``(c) Broadband and Emerging Technology Training.--
       ``(1) Training.--The Associate Administrator shall provide 
     to employees of the Administration training that--
       ``(A) familiarizes employees of the Administration with 
     broadband and other emerging information technologies;
       ``(B) includes--
       ``(i) instruction on counseling small business concerns 
     regarding adopting, making innovations in, and using 
     broadband and other emerging information technologies; and
       ``(ii) information on programs of the Federal Government 
     that provide assistance to small business concerns relating 
     to broadband and emerging information technologies; and
       ``(C) to maximum extent practicable, uses the tools and 
     training cataloged and identified under subsection (b)(2)(D).
       ``(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to 
     carry out this subsection.
       ``(d) Reports.--
       ``(1) Biennial report on activities.--Not later than 2 
     years after the date on which the Associate Administrator 
     makes the first designation of an employee under subsection 
     (b), and every 2 years thereafter, the broadband and emerging 
     information technology coordinator shall submit to the 
     Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives a report regarding the programs and 
     activities of the Administration relating to broadband and 
     other emerging information technologies.
       ``(2) Impact of broadband speed and price on small 
     businesses.--
       ``(A) In general.--Subject to appropriations, the Chief 
     Counsel for Advocacy shall conduct a study evaluating the 
     impact of broadband speed and price on small business 
     concerns.
       ``(B) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of the Small Business Broadband and Emerging 
     Information Technology Enhancement Act of 2015, the Chief 
     Counsel for Advocacy shall submit to the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on 
     Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives a report on the 
     results of the study under subparagraph (A), including--
       ``(i) a survey of broadband speeds available to small 
     business concerns;
       ``(ii) a survey of the cost of broadband speeds available 
     to small business concerns;
       ``(iii) a survey of the type of broadband technology used 
     by small business concerns; and
       ``(iv) any policy recommendations that may improve the 
     access of small business concerns to comparable broadband 
     services at comparable rates in all regions of the United 
     States.''.

     SEC. 4. ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 21(c)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     648(c)(3)(B)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting 
     ``accessing broadband and other emerging information 
     technology,'' after ``technology transfer,'';
       (2) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (3) in clause (iii), by adding ``and'' at the end; and

[[Page S7127]]

       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iv) increasing the competitiveness and productivity of 
     small business concerns by assisting entrepreneurs in 
     accessing broadband and other emerging information 
     technology;''.

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