[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S3229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1760. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself, Mr. Young, and Mr. Coons) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1502 
proposed by Mr. Schumer 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:

             TITLE VII--SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION VOUCHERS

     SEC. 2701. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Small Business Innovation 
     Voucher Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2702. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
       (2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Innovation 
     Voucher Grant Program established under section 2703(a).
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.
       (4) Small business.--The term ``small business'' means a 
     business with 50 or fewer employees.
       (5) Small business in an underserved market.--The term 
     ``small business in an underserved market'' means a small 
     business concern owned and controlled by socially and 
     economically disadvantaged individuals (as defined in section 
     8(d)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     637(d)(3)(C))) that is a small business (as defined in this 
     section).

     SEC. 2703. INNOVATION VOUCHER GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this division, the Secretary shall, acting 
     through the Director, establish a program under which the 
     Secretary shall, on a competitive basis and in accordance 
     with subsection (g), award to eligible entities grants or 
     financial assistance in another form for the provision of 
     technical assistance to small businesses to assist the small 
     businesses in carrying out projects that advance research, 
     development, or commercialization of new or innovative 
     products and services.
       (2) Purposes of program.--The purposes of the Program are--
       (A) to foster collaboration between small businesses and 
     research institutions or other similar organizations;
       (B) to facilitate access by small businesses to capital-
     intensive infrastructure and advanced research capabilities;
       (C) to enable small businesses to access technical 
     expertise and capabilities that will lead to the development 
     of innovative products;
       (D) to promote business dynamism and competition;
       (E) to stimulate United States leadership in advanced 
     research, innovation, and technology;
       (F) to accelerate the development of an advanced workforce; 
     and
       (G) to preserve and create new jobs.
       (3) Designation.--The program established under paragraph 
     (1) shall be known as the ``Innovation Voucher Grant 
     Program''.
       (b) Eligible Entities.--
       (1) In general.--For purposes of the Program, an eligible 
     entity is an entity that the Director determines--
       (A) is--
       (i) an institution of higher education, as defined in 
     section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1001); or
       (ii) a nonprofit research lab, institution, or other 
     similar organization in the United States associated with 
     educational or research activities, including a federally 
     funded research and development center; and
       (B) according to terms that the Director considers 
     appropriate, is a suitable provider of knowledge for purposes 
     of the program.
       (2) Geographic diversity.--In determining whether entities 
     are suitable providers of knowledge under paragraph (1)(B), 
     the Director shall seek to establish geographic diversity 
     among eligible entities.
       (c) Application.--
       (1) In general.--An eligible entity seeking a grant or 
     other financial assistance under the Program to assist the 
     eligible entity in providing technical assistance to small 
     businesses shall, in conjunction with one or more small 
     businesses, submit to the Secretary an application therefor 
     at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
     as the Secretary may require.
       (2) Deadline.--The Secretary shall establish a deadline for 
     the submittal of applications under paragraph (1).
       (3) Selection.--Not later than 180 days after the deadline 
     established under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall select 
     the recipients of the grants or other financial assistance 
     under the Program.
       (d) Evaluation.--In evaluating an application for a grant 
     or other financial assistance under the Program, the 
     Secretary shall take into consideration--
       (1) the likelihood that the amounts of the grant or 
     financial assistance will be used to create or advance a 
     novel product or service;
       (2) the technical feasibility of creating or advancing a 
     novel product or service proposed to be created or advanced 
     using technical assistance provided with assistance under the 
     Program; and
       (3) whether creating or advancing a product or service 
     proposed to be created or advanced using technical assistance 
     supported by a grant under the Program could be accomplished 
     without a grant awarded under the Program.
       (e) Amount.--A grant or other financial assistance awarded 
     under the Program shall be awarded in an amount of not less 
     than $20,000 and not more than $75,000, which shall remain 
     available to the recipient of the grant until expended.
       (f) Amounts for Small Businesses.--
       (1) In general.--Except to the extent that the Secretary 
     determines otherwise, not less than 40 percent of the amounts 
     made available for the Program in a fiscal year shall be set 
     aside and expended through eligible entities providing 
     technical assistance to--
       (A) small businesses in underserved markets; or
       (B) small businesses in regions or States that have 
     historically been underserved by Federal research and 
     development funds.
       (2) Remaining amount.--Any amount that is set aside under 
     paragraph (1) in a fiscal year that is not expended by the 
     end of the fiscal year shall be--
       (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), available in 
     the following fiscal year to make grants to eligible entities 
     described in paragraph (1); and
       (B) on and after October 1, 2024, available to award grants 
     to all eligible entities under the Program.
       (g) Federal Share.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may not award a grant to an 
     eligible entity under the Program to provide technical 
     assistance to a small business unless the eligible entity 
     agrees that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the 
     eligible entity in providing such technical assistance, the 
     eligible entity will make available non-Federal contributions 
     in an amount equal to--
       (A) in the case of an award in an amount that is less than 
     $50,000, not less than 25 percent of the amount of the award; 
     and
       (B) in the case of an award in an amount that is equal to 
     or greater than $50,000, not less than 50 percent of the 
     amount of the award.
       (2) Sources of non-federal contributions.--Non-Federal 
     contributions under paragraph (1) may be derived from non-
     Federal contributions provided by the eligible entity, the 
     small business, or from such State and local government 
     sources as the Secretary considers appropriate.
       (h) Reports.--
       (1) Reports from grant recipients.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date on which a project carried out with technical 
     assistance provided with support from a grant or other 
     financial assistance awarded under the Program is completed, 
     the recipient of the grant or other financial assistance 
     shall submit to the Secretary a report on the project, 
     including--
       (A) whether and how the project met the original 
     expectations for the project;
       (B) how the results of the project were incorporated in the 
     business of the small business; and
       (C) whether and how the project improved innovation 
     practices of the small business.
       (2) Report of the secretary.--Not later than 2 years after 
     the date on which the Secretary establishes the Program, and 
     every 2 years thereafter until the date on which the amounts 
     appropriated for the Program are expended, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, 
     Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a 
     report on grants and other financial assistance awarded under 
     the Program, including--
       (A) a description of the grants and financial assistance 
     awarded;
       (B) the estimated number of products or services created or 
     advanced with technical assistance supported by a grant or 
     other financial assistance awarded under the Program that 
     could have been created or advanced without a grant or 
     financial assistance awarded under the Program; and
       (C) a description of the impact of the Program on knowledge 
     transfer and commercialization.
       (3) Final report of the secretary.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date on which amounts appropriated for the Program 
     are expended, the Secretary shall submit to the committees 
     described in paragraph (2) a final report containing the 
     information described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of 
     that paragraph.

     SEC. 2704. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
     carry out the Program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2022 through 2026, to remain available until expended.
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