[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 90 (Monday, May 24, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S3341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1926. Mr. RISCH (for himself, Mr. Crapo, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Capito,
and Ms. Cortez Masto) 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:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. FEDERAL AND STATE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
Section 34 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657d) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
``(11) Underperforming state.--The term `underperforming
State' means a State participating in the SBIR or STTR
program that has been calculated by the Administrator to be
one of 26 States receiving the fewest SBIR and STTR first
phase awards (as described in paragraphs (4) and (6),
respectively, of section 9(e)).'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (E)--
(I) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(II) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(III) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) to prioritize applicants located in an
underperforming State.'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(B)(vi)--
(i) in subclause (II), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(IV) located in an underperforming State; and'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Not more than one
proposal'' and inserting ``There is no limit on the number of
proposals that''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Additional assistance for underperforming states.--
Upon application by a recipient that is located in an
underperforming State, the Administrator may--
``(A) provide additional assistance to the recipient; and
``(B) waive the matching requirements under subsection
(e)(2).
``(7) Limitation on awards.--The Administrator may only
make 1 award or enter into 1 cooperative agreement per State
in a fiscal year.'';
(3) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) to by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
``(A) In general.--The non-Federal share of the cost of an
activity (other than a planning activity) carried out using
an award or under a cooperative agreement under this section
shall be--
``(i) 25 cents for each Federal dollar, in the case of a
recipient that will serve small business concerns located in
an underperforming State, as calculated using the data from
the previous fiscal year; and
``(ii) except as provided in subparagraph (B), 75 cents for
each Federal dollar, in the case of a recipient that will
serve small business concerns located in a State that is not
described in clause (i) that is receiving SBIR and STTR first
phase awards, as described in paragraphs (4) and (6),
respectively, of section 9(e).'';
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``, beginning with
fiscal year 2001'' and inserting ``and make publicly
available on the website of the Administration, beginning
with fiscal year 2022''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) Payment.--The non-Federal share of the cost of an
activity carried out by a recipient may be paid by the
recipient over the course of the period of the award or
cooperative agreement.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Amount of award.--In carrying out the FAST program
under this section--
``(A) the Administrator shall make and enter into awards or
cooperative agreements;
``(B) each award or cooperative agreement described in
subparagraph (A) shall be for not more than $500,000, which
shall be provided over 2 fiscal years; and
``(C) any amounts left unused in the third quarter of the
second fiscal year may be retained by the Administrator for
future FAST program awards.
``(5) Reporting.--Not later than 6 months after receiving
an award or entering into a cooperative agreement under this
section, a recipient shall report to the Administrator--
``(A) the number of awards made under the SBIR or STTR
program;
``(B) the number of applications submitted for the SBIR or
STTR program;
``(C) the number of consulting hours spent;
``(D) the number of training events conducted; and
``(E) any issues encountered in the management and
application of the FAST program.'';
(4) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``Small Business Innovation Research
Program Reauthorization Act of 2000'' and inserting ``United
States Innovation and Competition Act''; and
(II) by inserting ``and Entrepreneurship'' before ``of the
Senate'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) a description of the process used to ensure that
underperforming States are given priority application status
under the FAST program.''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Annual'' and
inserting ``Biennial'';
(ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``annual'' and inserting ``biennial'';
(iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(v) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) the proportion of awards provided to and cooperative
agreements entered into with underperforming States; and
``(E) a list of the States that were determined by the
Administrator to be underperforming States, and a description
of any changes in the list compared to previously submitted
reports.''; and
(5) in subsection (g)(2)--
(A) by striking ``2004'' and inserting ``2022''; and
(B) by inserting ``and Entrepreneurship'' before ``of the
Senate''.
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