[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2805-S2806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1559. Mr. WICKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 1260, to establish a new Directorate for Technology 
and Innovation in the National Science Foundation, to establish a 
regional technology hub program, to require a strategy and report on 
economic security, science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and 
job creation, to establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. REACHING AMERICA'S RURAL MINORITY BUSINESSES.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Agency.--The term ``Agency'' means the Minority 
     Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce.
       (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of 
     the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (D) the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
       (A) a historically Black college or university; or
       (B) a consortium of institutions of higher education that 
     is led by a historically Black college or university.
       (4) Historically black college or university.--The term 
     ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning 
     given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
       (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1001).
       (6) MBDA center.--The term ``MBDA center'' means any 
     business center established by the Agency.
       (7) MBDC agreement.--The term ``MBDC agreement'' means a 
     collaborative agreement entered into between the Agency and 
     an eligible entity under subsection (b)(2)(B).
       (8) Minority business enterprise.--The term ``minority 
     business enterprise'' has the meaning given the term in 
     section 1108(a) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9007(a)).
       (9) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means an area 
     located outside a metropolitan statistical area (as 
     designated by the Office of Management and Budget).
       (10) Rural business center.--The term ``rural business 
     center'' means an MBDA center with the functions described in 
     subsection (b)(3).
       (11) Rural minority business enterprise.--The term ``rural 
     minority business enterprise'' means a minority business 
     enterprise located in a rural area.
       (b) Business Centers.--
       (1) In general.--The Agency may establish not more than 10 
     rural business centers.
       (2) Partnership.--
       (A) In general.--The agency shall establish each rural 
     business center in partnership with an eligible entity in 
     accordance with subparagraph (B).
       (B) MBDC agreement.--
       (i) In general.--With respect to each rural business center 
     established by the Agency, the Agency shall enter into a 
     collaborative agreement with an eligible entity that provides 
     that--

       (I) the eligible entity shall provide space, facilities, 
     and staffing for the rural business center;
       (II) the Agency shall provide funding for, and oversight 
     with respect to, the rural business center; and
       (III) subject to clause (ii), the eligible entity shall 
     match 20 percent of the amount of the funding provided by the 
     Agency under subclause (II), which may be calculated to 
     include the costs of providing the space, facilities, and 
     staffing under subclause (I).

       (ii) Lower match requirement.--Based on the available 
     resources of an eligible entity, the Agency may enter into a 
     collaborative agreement with the eligible entity that 
     provides that the eligible entity shall match less than 20 
     percent of the amount of the funding provided by the Agency 
     under clause (i)(II).
       (C) Term.--The term of an MBDC agreement shall be 5 years.
       (D) Renewal.--The Agency and an eligible entity may agree 
     to extend the term of an MBDC agreement with respect to a 
     rural business center for an additional 5 years.
       (3) Functions.--A rural business center shall--
       (A) primarily serve clients that are--
       (i) rural minority business enterprises; or
       (ii) minority business enterprises that are located more 
     than 50 miles from an MBDA center (other than that rural 
     business center);
       (B) focus on issues relating to--
       (i) the adoption of broadband internet access service (as 
     defined in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, or any successor regulation), digital literacy 
     skills, and e-commerce by rural minority business 
     enterprises;
       (ii) advanced manufacturing;
       (iii) the promotion of manufacturing in the United States;
       (iv) ways in which rural minority business enterprises can 
     meet gaps in the supply

[[Page S2806]]

     chain of critical supplies and essential goods and services 
     for the United States;
       (v) improving the connectivity of rural minority business 
     enterprises through transportation and logistics;
       (vi) promoting trade and export opportunities by rural 
     minority business enterprises;
       (vii) securing financial capital; and
       (viii) facilitating entrepreneurship in rural areas; and
       (C) provide education, training, and technical assistance 
     to minority business enterprises.
       (4) Applications.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Agency shall issue a request for 
     applications from eligible entities that desire to enter into 
     MBDC agreements with the Agency.
       (B) Criteria and priority.--In selecting an eligible entity 
     with which to enter into an MBDC agreement, the Agency 
     shall--
       (i) select an eligible entity that demonstrates--

       (I) the ability to collaborate with governmental and 
     private sector entities to leverage capabilities of minority 
     business enterprises through public-private partnerships;
       (II) the research and extension capacity to support 
     minority business enterprises;
       (III) knowledge of the community that the eligible entity 
     serves and the ability to conduct effective outreach to that 
     community to advance the goals of a rural business center;
       (IV) the ability to provide innovative business solutions, 
     including access to contracting opportunities, markets, and 
     capital;
       (V) the ability to provide services that advance the 
     development of science, technology, engineering, and math 
     jobs within minority business enterprises;
       (VI) the ability to leverage resources from within the 
     eligible entity to advance a rural business center;
       (VII) that the mission of the eligible entity aligns with 
     the mission of the Agency; and
       (VIII) the ability to leverage relationships with rural 
     minority business enterprises; and

       (ii) give priority to an eligible entity located in a State 
     or region that lacks an MBDA center, as of the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
       (5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Agency to establish rural business 
     centers under this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2022 through 2026.
       (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Agency shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report that includes--
       (1) a summary of the efforts of the Agency to provide 
     services to minority business enterprises located in States 
     that lack an MBDA center, as of the date of enactment of this 
     Act, and especially in those States that have significant 
     minority populations; and
       (2) recommendations for extending the outreach of the 
     Agency to underserved areas.
       (d) Study and Report.--
       (1) In general.--The Agency, in coordination with the 
     Administrator of the Small Business Administration, shall 
     conduct a study on the ways in which minority business 
     enterprises can meet gaps in the supply chain of the United 
     States, with a particular focus on the supply chain of 
     advanced manufacturing and essential goods and services.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Agency shall submit to Congress a 
     report that includes--
       (A) the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1); 
     and
       (B) recommendations on the ways in which minority business 
     enterprises can meet gaps in the supply chain of the United 
     States.
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