[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 192 (Tuesday, November 2, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6084-H6087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             VETERAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING ACT OF 2021

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3469) to amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to 
Business Program, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3469

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Entrepreneurship 
     Training Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.

       Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(h) Boots to Business Program.--
       ``(1) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the 
     term `covered individual' means--
       ``(A) a member of the Armed Forces, including the National 
     Guard or Reserves;
       ``(B) an individual who is participating in the Transition 
     Assistance Program established under section 1144 of title 
     10, United States Code;
       ``(C) an individual who--
       ``(i) served on active duty in any branch of the Armed 
     Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves; and
       ``(ii) was discharged or released from such service under 
     conditions other than dishonorable; and
       ``(D) a spouse or dependent of an individual described in 
     subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
       ``(2) Establishment.--Beginning on the first October 1 
     after the enactment of this subsection and for the subsequent 
     4 fiscal years, the Administrator shall carry out a program 
     to be known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide 
     entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.
       ``(3) Goals.--The goals of the Boots to Business Program 
     are to--
       ``(A) provide assistance and in-depth training to covered 
     individuals interested in business ownership; and
       ``(B) provide covered individuals with the tools, skills, 
     and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity, 
     draft a business plan, identify sources of capital, connect 
     with local resources for small business concerns, and start 
     up a small business concern.
       ``(4) Program components.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Boots to Business Program may 
     include--
       ``(i) a presentation providing exposure to the 
     considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a 
     small business concern;

[[Page H6085]]

       ``(ii) an online, self-study course focused on the basic 
     skills of entrepreneurship, the language of business, and the 
     considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a 
     small business concern;
       ``(iii) an in-person classroom instruction component 
     providing an introduction to the foundations of self 
     employment and ownership of a small business concern; and
       ``(iv) in-depth training delivered through online 
     instruction, including an online course that leads to the 
     creation of a business plan.
       ``(B) Collaboration.--The Administrator may--
       ``(i) collaborate with public and private entities to 
     develop course curricula for the Boots to Business Program; 
     and
       ``(ii) modify program components in coordination with 
     entities participating in a Warriors in Transition program, 
     as defined in section 738(e) of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10 U.S.C. 1071 note).
       ``(C) Use of resource partners.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall--

       ``(I) ensure that Veteran Business Outreach Centers 
     regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to 
     Business Program; and
       ``(II) to the maximum extent practicable, use a variety of 
     other resource partners and entities in administering the 
     Boots to Business Program.

       ``(ii) Grant authority.--In carrying out clause (i), the 
     Administrator may make grants to Veteran Business Outreach 
     Centers, other resource partners, or other entities to carry 
     out components of the Boots to Business Program.
       ``(D) Availability to department of defense.--The 
     Administrator shall make available to the Secretary of 
     Defense information regarding the Boots to Business Program, 
     including all course materials and outreach materials related 
     to the Boots to Business Program, for inclusion on the 
     website of the Department of Defense relating to the 
     Transition Assistance Program, in the Transition Assistance 
     Program manual, and in other relevant materials available for 
     distribution from the Secretary of Defense.
       ``(E) Availability to veterans affairs.--In consultation 
     with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator 
     shall make available for distribution and display at local 
     facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs outreach 
     materials regarding the Boots to Business Program which 
     shall, at a minimum--
       ``(i) describe the Boots to Business Program and the 
     services provided; and
       ``(ii) include eligibility requirements for participating 
     in the Boots to Business Program.
       ``(5) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this subsection and every year thereafter, 
     the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Small 
     Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee 
     on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report on 
     the performance and effectiveness of the Boots to Business 
     Program, which may be included as part of another report 
     submitted to such Committees by the Administrator, and which 
     shall include--
       ``(A) information regarding grants awarded under paragraph 
     (4)(C);
       ``(B) the total cost of the Boots to Business Program;
       ``(C) the number of program participants using each 
     component of the Boots to Business Program;
       ``(D) the completion rates for each component of the Boots 
     to Business Program;
       ``(E) to the extent possible--
       ``(i) the demographics of program participants, to include 
     gender, age, race, relationship to military, military 
     occupational specialty, and years of service of program 
     participants;
       ``(ii) the number of small business concerns formed or 
     expanded with assistance under the Boots to Business Program;
       ``(iii) the gross receipts of small business concerns 
     receiving assistance under the Boots to Business Program;
       ``(iv) the number of jobs created with assistance under the 
     Boots to Business Program;
       ``(v) the number of referrals to other resources and 
     programs of the Administration;
       ``(vi) the number of program participants receiving 
     financial assistance under loan programs of the 
     Administration;
       ``(vii) the type and dollar amount of financial assistance 
     received by program participants under any loan program of 
     the Administration; and
       ``(viii) results of participant satisfaction surveys, 
     including a summary of any comments received from program 
     participants;
       ``(F) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Boots to 
     Business Program in each region of the Administration during 
     the most recent fiscal year;
       ``(G) an assessment of additional performance outcome 
     measures for the Boots to Business Program, as identified by 
     the Administrator;
       ``(H) any recommendations of the Administrator for 
     improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may 
     include expansion of the types of individuals who are covered 
     individuals;
       ``(I) an explanation of how the Boots to Business Program 
     has been integrated with other transition programs and 
     related resources of the Administration and other Federal 
     agencies; and
       ``(J) any additional information the Administrator 
     determines necessary.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Velazquez) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Luetkemeyer) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill before us today, H.R. 
3469, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021. But before I 
begin, let me say how proud I am of the committee's work on behalf of 
small businesses. I am pleased that we have worked together on these 
bills that we are taking up today because small businesses deserve 
nothing less.
  I would also like to thank Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for his 
bipartisan leadership on our effort today and the work of our Small 
Business Committee members who continuously strive to make critical 
changes in policy for entrepreneurs.
  This week is National Veterans Small Business Week, and I would like 
to take a moment to honor and salute the contributions veterans have 
made to American small businesses and in our country.
  The Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021 is timely because 
it would make vital improvements to SBA's Boots to Business Program, as 
well as offer certainty to transitioning servicemembers by authorizing 
the program for 5 years.
  Since its inception in 2011, SBA's Boots to Business Program has been 
a vital resource for transitioning servicemembers and their spouses 
looking to launch and grow their small businesses.
  Boots to Business offers a 2-day, in-person entrepreneurial education 
and training program as part of the Department of Defense's Transition 
Assistance Program. This valuable program is delivered throughout the 
country by Veterans Business Outreach Centers. Each year, more than 
200,000 servicemembers make the transition from military to civilian 
life, and transition assistance is a critical component to ensure that 
our veterans have meaningful employment opportunities.
  Veterans are uniquely positioned to succeed in starting and growing 
their own small businesses. The leadership skills, organizational 
abilities, and tenacity they developed through their time in the 
military lend themselves perfectly to the rigors of entrepreneurship. 
According to the SBA, veterans are 45 percent more likely to be self-
employed than nonveterans, with 1 in 10 veterans owning a small 
business and, in return, employing 5.8 million individuals.
  I want to thank Mr. Schneider and Mr. Williams for their work to 
provide meaningful entrepreneurship assistance to veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3469, the Veteran 
Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021.
  Mr. Speaker, this week is National Veterans Small Business Week. This 
is a time to honor and recognize the men and women who have served our 
Nation proudly in uniform. Many of these brave veterans go on to start 
and run successful businesses. This week and every week, we must 
recognize their resiliency and determination.
  I would like to thank all our veterans who have dedicated their lives 
to keeping the United States safe and preserving our freedoms.
  Importantly, today we are considering the Veteran Entrepreneurship 
Training Act of 2021, which codifies the Small Business 
Administration's successful Boots to Business Program. The Boots to 
Business Program offers veterans, servicemembers, and military

[[Page H6086]]

spouses entrepreneurship resources that provide the business skills and 
knowledge to launch and run a successful business. The program uniquely 
delivers results for those who have honed their skills in the military.
  I am proud that we are focusing on veteran-owned businesses, and I 
believe this legislation will continue to provide important and 
valuable resources as our veterans return home and transition into 
providing goods and services to their communities.
  I would like to thank Mr. Schneider from Illinois and Mr. Williams 
from Texas, who is the vice ranking member of our committee, for 
working diligently on this legislation. I would also like to thank the 
chair for her efforts on this legislation and for working with me in a 
bipartisan manner to advance all the commonsense small business bills 
before us today. I look forward to working with the chairwoman on 
several issues moving forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3469, which 
was passed favorably out of our committee via voice vote, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider).
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairwoman and the 
ranking member for helping bring this bill today.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today as we mark Veterans Small Business Week in 
support of the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021, an 
important bipartisan bill I was proud to introduce with Congressman 
Roger Williams to help build our economy by giving veterans the tools 
they need to successfully start and grow their own businesses.
  Just as our Nation's security rests on the shoulders of the men and 
women serving in our armed services, our Nation's economic growth 
relies on small businesses and American entrepreneurship. U.S. small 
businesses generate 44 percent of our total economic output annually; 
they employ almost half of all working Americans; and they produce 
almost 65 percent of all new jobs.

  Small business owners exemplify the American Dream. According to the 
SBA, self-employed people, on average, earn more and have more net 
worth than the non-self-employed. Perhaps best of all, Mr. Speaker, 
owning your own business is the chance to do something you love and to 
control your own destiny.
  We also know that many veterans have the self-motivation, experience, 
and valuable acquired skills to be successful entrepreneurs and small 
business owners. America's veterans have gained extraordinary 
experience and learned vital lessons, including planning, leadership, 
team building, problem-solving, and adapting to constantly changing 
situations.
  The Boots to Business Program offers veterans a training curriculum 
to help them transfer their service experiences to the business world 
and expand their skill set with the know-how to succeed and prosper.
  Since being launched in 2011, more than 50,000 veterans and their 
spouses have benefited from the Boots to Business Program, learning 
everything from strategic planning, marketing, basic accounting, and 
even financing for a new business or new opportunity.
  As we beat back the pandemic, one of the best things we can do to 
help rebuild our economy is to unleash the ingenuity and 
entrepreneurship that can power our Nation into the post-COVID, 21st 
century global economy. The bipartisan bill before the House today 
builds on proven outcomes by formally codifying the Boots to Business 
Program into law.
  I want to thank all of our veterans. I am pleased that this bill 
passed out of the committee with strong bipartisan support, and I am 
happy we are bringing it to the House floor today for a vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the Veteran 
Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), who is the vice ranking member 
of the committee.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank our ranking member and 
our chairwoman for their leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Veteran 
Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021, which equips transitioning 
servicemembers with resources to become entrepreneurs.
  In Congress, it is my greatest privilege to represent our military 
servicemembers and veterans in the 25th District of Texas, and I am 
honored to fight on their behalf in Washington.
  I am proud to have led this bipartisan bill with my Democratic 
colleague and my friend, Mr. Schneider. Our bill codifies the Boots to 
Business Program for 5 years.
  The Boots to Business Program is a 2-day, in-person entrepreneurship 
program offered by the Small Business Administration that provides 
transitioning servicemembers and military spouses information about 
business ownership and self-employment.
  While serving in the military, our servicemembers learned how to make 
sound decisions in chaotic environments. Research has shown that 
servicemembers' unique skill sets prepare them to own and operate their 
own business.
  Every year more than 200,000 servicemembers make the transition from 
military to civilian life, and it is critical that we assist their 
transition and provide them with the tools they need to be successful 
in whatever they endeavor next.
  This week is National Veterans Small Business Week, making it the 
perfect time for Congress to pass this bill and empower our veteran 
entrepreneurs. It is our duty and responsibility to ensure the men and 
women who have defended our liberty and freedom are given the tools to 
launch a successful business career after their military service 
concludes.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle--this is 
bipartisanship--to support this bill to continue this crucial program 
that helps our veterans become the next generation of business leaders.
  In God We Trust.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am 
prepared to close.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
myself the balance of my time to close.
  The Boots to Business Program is critical in assisting our veterans 
during their entrepreneurial business journey. I, once again, want to 
thank all of our friends and colleagues along the way here for their 
help putting this bill together, as well as our brave men and women who 
have served in the military on our behalf of our great country. We are 
better off with their unwavering commitment to American safety and 
security.
  Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate and honor National Veterans Small 
Business Week, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3469, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.
  Mr. Speaker, America's veterans, and their families, deserve our 
support as they transition back to civilian life. SBA's Boots to 
Business Program is a critical part of that support for veterans 
looking to begin their next chapter through entrepreneurship.
  I am pleased to support this legislation, which will go a long way in 
ensuring transitioning servicemembers success in civilian life once 
their tours of duty are complete.
  In light of National Veterans Small Business Week and Veterans Day 
next week, there is no better time for Congress to show their support 
for veteran entrepreneurs. I thank my colleagues, Mr. Brad Schneider 
from Illinois and Mr. Roger Williams from Texas, for working together 
in support of America's veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3469, which 
will provide statutory authority for the ``Boots to Business'' program, 
which provides entrepreneurship training to individuals, such as 
veterans and active service members, to be administered by the Small 
Business Administration.
  I want to first thank my colleague, Representative Schneider, for 
introducing this legislation that will help veterans who served our 
country with honor and bravery, transition from military to civilian 
life.

[[Page H6087]]

  Administered through the Office of Veteran Business Development in 
the Small Business Administration (SBA), the B2B program offers 
transitioning service members and military spouses a foundational two-
day, in-person course for an introduction to business ownership which 
can be followed by optional online courses on topics including market 
research, business fundamentals, and revenue readiness.
  Since B2B launched in 2013, more than 50,000 service members and 
spouses have participated in the program.
  The Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021 would authorize 
this program for five years.
  Honorable Americans who serve this nation deserve to be equipped with 
the training, expertise, and tools they need to make a successful 
career transition from the Armed Services.
  This program offers critical courses that provide deep insight into 
starting and running a business and can make the difference for so many 
of our brave service men and women.
  It is important that our heroic veterans continue to have the 
opportunity to participate in the ``Boots to Business'' program and 
pursue their business and entrepreneurial goals.
  The U.S. Census shows that 5.7 million individuals are employed by a 
recorded 2 million veteran-owned businesses.
  Veterans are 45 percent more likely to be self-employed than those 
who have no military background.
  Many of the leadership, problem solving, and communications skills 
learned in the armed forces translate to entrepreneurial and business 
success, and the ``Boots to Business'' program does immeasurably 
important work helping veterans start and grow businesses.
  Our veterans deserve the upmost respect, and part of this is giving 
them the tools they need to succeed.
  I am proud to support this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3469.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________