[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3236-S3237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1779. Mr. MORAN (for himself and Ms. Baldwin) 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. __. REGIONAL INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
       (2) Award.--The term ``award'' means a contract, grant, or 
     cooperative agreement.
       (3) Cluster initiative.--The term ``Cluster Initiative'' 
     means a formally organized effort to promote the growth and 
     competitiveness of an industry sector through collaborative 
     activities among Industry Cluster participants that is led 
     by--
       (A) a State;
       (B) an Indian Tribe;
       (C) a city or other political subdivision of a State;
       (D) a nonprofit organization, including an institution of 
     higher education or a venture development organization; or
       (E) a small business concern.
       (4) Industry cluster.--The term ``Industry Cluster'' means 
     a geographic concentration, relative to the size of the 
     region under consideration, of interconnected businesses, 
     suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in 
     an industry sector, including advanced manufacturing, 
     precision agriculture, cybersecurity, biosciences, water 
     technologies, energy production and efficiency, and outdoor 
     recreation.
       (5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
     meaning given the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the 
     Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
     U.S.C. 5304).
       (6) 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).
       (7) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
     concern'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
     Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
       (8) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
     States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
     Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands, or any other territory or 
     possession of the United States.
       (b) Supporting Industry Clusters.--
       (1) Authorization.--The Administrator shall enter into 
     contracts with Cluster Initiatives that strengthen Industry 
     Clusters in accordance with the requirements under this 
     subsection.
       (2) Industry cluster outcomes.--Cluster Initiatives shall 
     be assessed according to their performance along the 
     following metrics:
       (A) Growth in number of small business concerns 
     participating in the Industry Cluster and support industries.
       (B) Growth in number of small business concern startups in 
     the Industry Cluster.
       (C) Growth in total capital, including revenue and equity 
     investments, flowing to small business concern participants 
     in the Industry Cluster.
       (D) Growth in job creation by small business concerns or, 
     in regions with declining total employment, job retention by 
     small business concerns in the Industry Cluster.
       (E) Growth in new products, services, or business lines.
       (F) Growth in new technologies developed within the 
     Industry Cluster.
       (3) Reporting.--The Administrator shall require Cluster 
     Initiatives to submit annual reports documenting the outcomes 
     in paragraph (2) and the activities contributing to those 
     outcomes.
       (4) Selection criteria.--In entering into contracts with 
     Cluster Initiatives under this subsection, the Administrator 
     shall consider--
       (A) the probable impact of the Cluster Initiative on the 
     competitiveness of the Industry Cluster, including--
       (i) whether the Cluster Initiative will be inclusive of any 
     and all organizations that might benefit from participation, 
     including startups, small business concerns not locally 
     owned, and small business concerns rival to existing members 
     of the Industry Cluster; and
       (ii) whether the Cluster Initiative will encourage broad 
     participation by and collaboration among all types of 
     participants;
       (B) if the proposed Cluster Initiative fits within a 
     broader and achievable economic development strategy;
       (C) the capacity and commitment of the sponsoring 
     organization of the Cluster Initiative organization, 
     including--
       (i) the expected ability of the Cluster Initiative to 
     access additional funds from other sources; and
       (ii) the capacity of the Cluster Initiative to sustain 
     activities once grant funds have been expended;
       (D) the degree of involvement from relevant State and 
     regional economic and workforce development organizations, 
     other public purpose institutions (such as universities, 
     community colleges, venture development organizations, and 
     workforce boards), and the private sector, including industry 
     associations; and
       (E) the extent to which economic diversity across regions 
     of the United States would be increased through the contract.
       (5) Initial award.--The Administrator may enter into a 1-
     year award not to exceed $1,000,000 with each Cluster 
     Initiative.
       (6) Renewal.--
       (A) In general.--The Administrator may renew an award 
     entered into with a Cluster Initiative under paragraph (5)--
       (i) for 1 year in an amount not to exceed $750,000 per 
     year; and
       (ii) for a total period not to exceed 5 years.
       (B) Requirement.--A Cluster Initiative shall compete in a 
     new funding opportunity to receive any further awards under 
     this subsection.
       (7) Cluster initiative resources.--
       (A) In general.--The Administrator may not enter into a 
     contract under this subsection that would provide more than 
     two-thirds of the revenue of the entity receiving the award.
       (B) Exception.--The Administrator may make an award 
     providing a higher percentage of the revenue of the entity 
     receiving the award if the recipient adequately demonstrates 
     that the Cluster Initiative will be able to access additional 
     funding, such as through the revenues of subcontractors or 
     through a commitment of matching funds provided from regional 
     partners.
       (8) Competitive process.--The Administrator shall enter 
     into new awards under this subsection for each year that 
     appropriations are available.
       (c) Feasibility Study Grants.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator may award grants for 
     feasibility studies, planning, and operations to support the 
     launch of new Cluster Initiatives.
       (2) Amount.--The total amount of grants awarded under 
     paragraph (1) shall not exceed $250,000.

[[Page S3237]]

       (3) Eligible recipients.--The Administrator may provide 
     grants under paragraph (1) to--
       (A) a State;
       (B) an Indian Tribe;
       (C) a city or other political subdivision of a State; or
       (D) a nonprofit organization, including an institution of 
     higher education or a venture development organization.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and each 
     subsequent fiscal year to carry out this section.
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