[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 7 (Monday, January 14, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E41]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SUPPORTING H.R. 206, THE ENCOURAGING SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATORS ACT AND 
  H.R. 246, THE STIMULATING INNOVATION THROUGH PROCUREMENT ACT OF 2019

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 14, 2019

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I want to state my support for 
H.R. 206, the Encouraging Small Business Innovators Act and H.R. 246, 
the Stimulating Innovation through Procurement Act of 2019. I thank 
Chairwoman Velazquez, Congressman Rouda, Congresswoman Finkenauer and 
other colleagues on both committees for their work to advance these 
bills to the House Floor.
  Through competitive research and development grants and contracts, 
the SBIR and STTR programs provide opportunities for innovative small 
businesses to participate in the federal research and development 
enterprise. The Federal R&D enterprise supports innovation by funding 
the best and brightest at our great research institutions, our national 
labs, and small businesses across all sectors of our economy. The SBIR 
and STTR programs have proven to be an important part of that 
investment. Over the years, the Science Committee has supported strong 
funding as well as improvements in policy and oversight for the SBIR 
and STTR programs. Last Congress, several important pilot programs were 
extended and other updates were made in law that help make the programs 
more effective and efficient. These include supporting more early-state 
funding for small business innovators, providing funding for important 
agency outreach and program administration, and streamlining reporting 
requirements.
  The Science Committee considered several of the provisions in H.R. 
246 in the 115th Congress. As these two bills advance, the Committee 
looks forward to working with our colleagues on the Small Business 
Committee to review and adopt policy changes in the SBIR and STTR 
programs that continue to strengthen the partnership between innovative 
small business and our federal research agencies. Further, I hope we 
will continue working together to ensure that the agencies prioritize 
outreach and other activities to increase the participation of women 
and minority-owned innovative small businesses in the SBIR and STTR 
programs.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 206 and H.R. 246.

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