[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 28, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H721-H722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DOE AND SBA RESEARCH ACT
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 4669) to provide for Department of Energy, National
Laboratories, and Small Business Administration joint research and
development activities, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4669
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 ``DOE and SBA Research Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND SMALL BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION JOINT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy and the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration (in this
section referred to as the ``covered officials'') shall enter
into a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate
agreement to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative
research and development activities focused on the joint
advancement of Department of Energy and Small Business
Administration mission requirements and priorities.
(b) Memorandum of Understanding or Agreement.--The covered
officials shall carry out and coordinate the activities
described in subsection (a) by entering into one or more
memoranda of understanding or other appropriate agreements,
as jointly determined by the covered officials.
(c) Inclusion of Small Business Concerns.--In carrying out
the activities described in subsection (a), the covered
officials shall ensure the inclusion of small business
concerns (as defined under section 3 of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) in such activities, as appropriate.
(d) Other Requirements.--In carrying out the activities
described in subsection (a), the covered officials may--
(1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the
Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration, and
appropriate entities in order to maximize the effectiveness
of research and development activities carried out pursuant
to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b); and
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate
to carry out such activities.
(e) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the covered officials shall submit to
Congress a report on activities carried out pursuant to a
memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b) that
includes the following:
(1) Coordination between the covered officials involved in
such activities.
(2) Potential opportunities to expand the technical
capabilities of the Department of Energy and the Small
Business Administration.
(3) Collaborative research achievements.
(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial success.
(5) Continuation of coordination activities between the
Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration.
(f) Research Security.--The activities carried out pursuant
to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b)
shall be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of
title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and
Innovation Act (Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.).
SEC. 3. COMPLIANCE WITH CUTGO.
No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. 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 bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4669, the DOE and SBA
Research Act, sponsored by my good friend, Representative LaLota, from
the great State of New York.
Our national laboratories provide some of the most cutting-edge
scientific research initiated by the U.S. Government. The 17 national
labs across the country help ensure we remain world leaders in a
variety of disciplines, including our Nation's self-defense.
This legislation will ensure that the great work of our national labs
and SBA are ensuring small businesses can play a part in these crucial
activities. Small businesses play an important role in American
innovation. The Committee on Small Business has heard countless
testimonies from entrepreneurs who have found inefficiencies in many
different industries and have since gone to work fixing these problems.
This is very similar to the work of our national labs as this bill,
establishing a memorandum of understanding, will prove mutually
beneficial to both parties.
The DOE and SBA Research Act is vital to increasing the opportunities
that innovative small businesses must work with some of the most
innovative federally funded research organizations in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for
H.R. 4669, and I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology
Washington, DC, December 1, 2023.
Hon. Roger Williams,
Chairman, Committee on Small Business,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Williams: I am writing concerning H.R. 4669,
the ``DOE and SBA Research Act'', which was referred
primarily to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
with an additional referral to the Committee on Small
Business.
H.R. 4669 contains provisions within the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. As a
result of your having consulted with the Committee and in
order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego
action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our
mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or
alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees,
or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject
matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming
this understanding, and would request that you include a copy
of this letter and your response in in the Congressional
Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you
in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Frank D. Lucas,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Small Business,
Washington, DC, December 1, 2023.
Hon. Frank Lucas,
Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House
of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Lucas: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 4669, the DOE and SBA Research Act. I appreciate your
willingness to work cooperatively to ensure that H.R. 4669 is
considered expeditiously before the House of Representatives.
I recognize that this bill contains provisions that fall
within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology. I also acknowledge that your Committee's
decision to forgo consideration would not prejudice your
Committee regarding the appointment of conferees, to any
future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters
contained in the bill, or to similar legislation falling
under your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. In addition,
should a conference on this bill become necessary, I would
support your request to have members of the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology represented on the conference
committee.
I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included the
Congressional Record during consideration on the House floor.
Thank you again, I appreciate your cooperation regarding this
legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you
as this measure moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Roger Williams,
Chairman.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4669, as amended.
This legislation would allow SBA and the Department of Energy to
enter into an MOU to formalize the research and
[[Page H722]]
development activities that are currently under way. Investments in R&D
are critical to providing high-paying jobs for Americans, increasing
small business innovation, and ensuring our country remains
competitive.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. LaLota and Mr. Thanedar for their bipartisan
work, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota).
Mr. LaLOTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Williams for yielding and
for his leadership on the Small Business Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of my bill, the bipartisan
DOE and SBA Research Act.
The DOE and SBA Research Act would simply require the Small Business
Administration and America's 17 national labs to collaborate to ensure
that small businesses are better utilized within the Department of
Energy procurement process.
The Department of Energy is one of the largest procurers of small
business goods and services in the government. Through the DOE's
national laboratories, small businesses can play a critical role in
executing the DOE's mission.
My district, which is home to one of these laboratories, Brookhaven
National Lab, which is leading the way by prioritizing working with
small businesses, specifically BNL and Suffolk County small businesses
have created a mutually beneficial relationship based upon cooperative
research and technical assistance.
Despite good intentions throughout the Federal system, far too often
small businesses have been made to endure tremendous frustrations
related to Federal contracting because the Federal contracting process
is incredibly complex and bureaucratic and plagued with many
inconsistencies and nuances.
Some programs, such as the Small Business Innovation Research
program, operate differently in each agency. This means a small
business utilizing the same program may have to meet significantly
different requirements from one agency to the next.
My bill, the DOE and SBA Research Act, seeks to remedy this problem.
A small business' work with the Federal Government can be a
frustrating maze, and this bipartisan bill will help bring existing
resources and opportunities to innovative and successful small
businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to
support the DOE and SBA Research Act.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am
ready to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, small businesses produce more than 14 times more patents
than large businesses and universities and employ nearly 40 percent of
scientists and engineers. Enhancing coordination between the Small
Business Administration and the Department of Energy will hopefully
increase opportunities for small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsors for their work, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense
legislation from Mr. Thanedar and Mr. LaLota, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4669, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to provide
for Department of Energy and Small Business Administration joint
research and development activities, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________