[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 201 (Thursday, November 18, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8490-S8491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4801. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed 
to the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. SBIR AND STTR PILOT PROGRAM FOR UNDERPERFORMING 
                   STATES.

       Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(vv) Department of Defense Pilot Program for 
     Underperforming States.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(A) Department.--The term `Department' means the 
     Department of Defense.
       ``(B) Underperforming state.--The term `underperforming 
     State' means any State participating in the SBIR or STTR 
     program that is in the bottom 68 percent of all States 
     historically receiving SBIR or STTR program funding.
       ``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     establish a pilot program to provide small business concerns 
     located in underperforming States an increased level of 
     assistance under the SBIR and STTR programs of the 
     Department.
       ``(3) Activities.--Under the pilot program, the Department, 
     and any component agency thereof, may--
       ``(A) in any case in which the Department seeks to make a 
     Phase II SBIR or STTR award to a small business concern based 
     on the results of a Phase I award made to the small business 
     concern by another agency, establish a streamlined transfer 
     and fast track approval process for that Phase II award;
       ``(B) provide an additional Phase II SBIR or STTR award to 
     a small business concern

[[Page S8491]]

     located in an underperforming State that received a Phase I 
     SBIR or STTR award, subject to an increase in the allocation 
     percentage;
       ``(C) establish a program to make Phase 1.5 SBIR or STTR 
     awards to small business concerns located in underperforming 
     States in order to provide funding for 12 to 24 months to 
     continue the development of technology; and
       ``(D) carry out subparagraph (C) along with other 
     mentorship programs.
       ``(4) Duration.--The pilot program established under this 
     subsection shall terminate 5 years after the date on which 
     the pilot program is established.
       ``(5) Report.--The Department shall submit to Congress an 
     annual report on the status of the pilot program established 
     under this subsection, including the improvement in funding 
     under the SBIR and STTR programs of the Department provided 
     to small business concerns located in underperforming 
     States.''.
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