[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SBIR AND STTR EXTENSION ACT OF 2022

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 28, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 4900, 
the ``Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business 
Technology Transfer (STTR) Extension Act of 2022'' that reauthorizes 
the SBIR, STTR, and six pilot programs for three years to provide 
stability and certainty for small businesses that rely on their 
technology.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  September 29, 2022, on page E1003, in the second column, the 
following appeared: SBIR AND STTR EXTENSION ACT OF 2022 ----------
-------------- SPEECH OF HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE OF TEXAS IN THE 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, September 28, 2022 Mr. 
Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 4900, the ``Small Business 
Innovation Re-
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: SBIR AND STTR 
EXTENSION ACT OF 2022 ------------------------ SPEECH OF HON. 
SHEILA JACKSON LEE OF TEXAS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise 
in strong support of S. 4900, the ``Small Business Innovation Re-


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  This legislation would extend SBIR/STTR programs and the following 
six pilot programs for three years, through September 30, 2025:
  Commercialization Readiness Program for Civilian Agencies;
  Commercialization Assistance Pilot Program;
  Administrative, oversight, and contracting cost pilot program;
  Phase flexibility authority;
  NIH Phase Zero of Concept Partnership Program; and
  Pilot to Accelerate DoD SBIR/STTR Awards.
  S. 4900, in addition, will require the Department of Defense (DoD) to 
broaden discussions to attract new ideas and new firms, raise the 
performance standard for more experienced firms, and require new 
reports by the SBA Offices of Inspector General (OIG) and the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO).
  Further, the bill would expand federal research security practices 
within the SBIR and the STTR programs to protect against technology 
theft by adversarial foreign governments.
  The Small Business Innovation Research Program is one of the most 
important public-private partnerships in the United States.
  This program encourages innovative small businesses to address 
national economic aspirations and transform emerging ideas into 
commercial reality.
  Over the past 40 years, SBIR and STTR programs have played a role in 
many firms including iRobot, 23&Me, and Qualcomm wireless 
communications.
  Additionally, SBIR firms have been essential in the development of 
the technologies that made LASIK eye surgery, bio-degradable packaging 
and material made from mushrooms to reduce Styrofoam in landfills and 
innovations used to fight COVD-19.
  Because of the DNA results from a 23&Me user, law enforcement was 
about to solve a rape and murder case that was otherwise deemed a cold 
case in 2019.
  High-tech wristbands from the company CarePredict aided in the 
monitoring for coronavirus in contacts between patients in senior 
living homes during the height of the pandemic.
  Through SBIR and STTR programs, the future is being visualized and 
produced just as it had been by a previous generation of innovators.
  In 1959, Otis Boykin created the wire resistor that was later used in 
televisions, computers, and radios. Once it was perfected, our very own 
United States military and IBM sought after him for his invention.
  Garrett Morgan invented the traffic light in 1923.
  Dr. Shirley Jackson's groundbreaking scientific research led to the 
inventions of the portable fax, touch tone telephone, solar cells, 
fiberoptic cables, and the technology behind caller ID and call 
waiting.
  These Black inventors created technologies that not only changed the 
world for the better, but laid the foundation for today's inventors who 
are developing the next wave of transformational technologies.
  S. 4900 will empower today's innovative small businesses to continue 
to develop solutions to our current and future problems.
  Let's pass this legislation and show our support for these small 
businesses across the nation.
  There are over 3 million small businesses in my home state of Texas 
and nearly 33 million small businesses in the United States.
  Let us not cloud the future of inspired workers by allowing these 
programs to shut down.
  Like the PPP inequities during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 
minority businesses will be impacted the most if these programs were to 
be terminated. It could be a fatal blow to these businesses that 
already have a difficult time accessing resources.
  As of now, minority-owned small businesses account for less than 20 
percent of all small businesses and only receive 8 percent of awards 
that flow through the SBIR and STTR programs.
  S. 4900 would broaden opportunities for first-time and non-
traditional businesses in a new approach to increase awards to 
minority-owned small businesses.
  According to the SBA, small businesses around the nation create two-
thirds of net new jobs in our communities and generate 44 percent of 
the United States' economic activity.
  The SBIR and STTR programs are a good investment, returning $22 to 
the economy for every $1 spent on SBIR and STTR project at DoD and $33 
returned for every $1 at the National Cancer Institute.
  As the economy continues to recover, we should not forget that not 
all businesses have recovered at the same rate.
  With this, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 4900 and 
giving our country's innovative small businesses the stability and 
certainty that they need to continue to bring growth and innovation 
throughout our communities.