[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 6, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3256-S3257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2356. Mr. JONES submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2019 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. MENTORSHIP AND MATCHMAKING PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT 
                   MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS WHO 
                   ARE ENTREPRENEURS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Programs of educational assistance administered by the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs can be used by members of the 
     Armed Forces and veterans to launch new businesses and such 
     assistance can go underutilized.

[[Page S3257]]

       (2) The Small Business Administration offers mentoring 
     programs for veterans and the Administration can offer 
     mentoring programs for veterans and members of the Armed 
     Forces transitioning to civilian life.
       (3) Helping members of the Armed Forces identify existing 
     and conceivable business opportunities in their industry of 
     interest or geographic location can be achieved through a 
     process of integrating information about business leads 
     sources like local chambers of commerce with data about 
     service members interested in starting businesses provided to 
     the Small Business Administration by the Department of 
     Defense and Veterans Affairs.
       (4) Enhancing the opportunity for success of members of the 
     Armed Forces and veterans as entrepreneurs can be an 
     important tool for economic development, especially in rural 
     areas of the United States.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) it is important to establish a mentoring and 
     matchmaking program to help members of the Armed Forces 
     transition to civilian life;
       (2) Small Business Development Centers of the Small 
     Business Administration should help provide matchmaking 
     services for members of the Armed Forces to help them 
     identify existing and conceivable business opportunities in 
     their industry of interest or geographic location; and
       (3) a special emphasis should be made to assist members of 
     the Armed Forces in rural areas of the United States.
       (c) Program Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
     in partnership with the Administrator of the Small Business 
     Administration and the Secretary of Defense, establish a 
     program consisting of--
       (A) providing mentors to covered individuals to assist them 
     in pursuing goals relating to starting a business; and
       (B) assistance in matching covered individuals with 
     business opportunities relating to starting a business.
       (2) Covered individuals.--For purposes of the program 
     required by paragraph (1), a covered individual is--
       (A) a member of the Armed Forces who is transitioning to 
     civilian life, a veteran, or a member of the family of such a 
     member of the Armed Forces or veteran; and
       (B) considering applying for a loan from the Small Business 
     Administration to start a business.
                                 ______