[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3462-S3463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1986. Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Ms. Baldwin) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 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, insert the following:

     SEC. __. SBIR AND STTR PILOT PROGRAM FOR UNDERPERFORMING 
                   STATES.

       Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(vv) Department of Defense Pilot Program for 
     Underperforming States.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(A) Department.--The term `Department' means the 
     Department of Defense.
       ``(B) Underperforming state.--The term `underperforming 
     State' means any State participating in the SBIR or STTR 
     program that is in the bottom 68 percent of all States 
     historically receiving SBIR or STTR program funding.
       ``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     establish a pilot program to provide small business concerns 
     located in underperforming States an increased level of 
     assistance under the SBIR and STTR programs of the 
     Department.
       ``(3) Activities.--Under the pilot program, the Department, 
     and any component agency thereof, may--
       ``(A) in any case in which the Department seeks to make a 
     Phase II SBIR or STTR award to a small business concern based 
     on the results of a Phase I award made to the small business 
     concern by another agency, establish a streamlined transfer 
     and fast track approval process for that Phase II award;
       ``(B) provide an additional Phase II SBIR or STTR award to 
     a small business concern located in an underperforming State 
     that received a Phase I SBIR or STTR award, subject to an 
     increase in the allocation percentage;
       ``(C) establish a program to make Phase 1.5 SBIR or STTR 
     awards to small business concerns located in underperforming 
     States in order to provide funding for 12 to 24 months to 
     continue the development of technology; and
       ``(D) carry out subparagraph (C) along with other 
     mentorship programs.
       ``(4) Duration.--The pilot program established under this 
     subsection shall terminate 5 years after the date on which 
     the pilot program is established.
       ``(5) Report.--The Department shall submit to Congress an 
     annual report on the status of the pilot program established 
     under this subsection, including the improvement in funding 
     under the SBIR and STTR programs of the Department provided 
     to small business concerns located in underperforming 
     States.''.

[[Page S3463]]

  

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