[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3438-S3439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1990. Mr. MORAN (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, and Ms. Rosen)
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:
SEC. __. REGIONAL INNOVATION CLUSTERS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) Alaska native corporation.--The term ``Alaska Native
Corporation'' has the meaning given the term ``Native
Corporation'' in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
(3) Award.--The term ``award'' means a contract, grant, or
cooperative agreement.
(4) 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, an Alaska Native Corporation, or a
Native Hawaiian Organization;
(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.
(5) 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.
(6) 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).
(7) 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).
(8) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native
Hawaiian Organization'' has the meaning given the term in
section 8(a)(15) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(a)(15)).
(9) 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).
(10) 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 make awards to
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 making awards to 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;
(E) the extent to which economic diversity across regions
of the United States would be increased through the award;
and
(F) the geographic distribution of Cluster Initiatives
around the United States.
(5) Initial award.--The Administrator may make 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 made
to 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) Matching funds.--
(A) In general.--As a condition of receiving an award under
this subsection, a Cluster Initiative shall provide 1 dollar
in non-Federal matching funds, including in-kind
contributions, for every 2 dollars received under the award.
(B) Waiver.--The Administrator may waive part of the
matching funds requirement under subparagraph (A) for a
Cluster Initiative that--
(i) has not previously received an award under this
subsection; or
(ii) supports a noncore area, a micropolitan area, or a
small metropolitan statistical area with a population of not
more than 200,000.
(8) Competitive process.--The Administrator shall enter
into new awards under this
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subsection for each year that appropriations are available.
(c) Feasibility Study Awards.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator may make awards for
feasibility studies, planning, and operations to support the
launch of new Cluster Initiatives.
(2) Amount.--The total amount of awards made under
paragraph (1) shall not exceed $250,000.
(3) Eligible recipients.--The Administrator may make awards
under paragraph (1) to--
(A) a State;
(B) an Indian Tribe, an Alaska Native Corporation, or a
Native Hawaiian Organization;
(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 consortium consisting of entities described in
subparagraphs (A) through (D).
(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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