[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.

                          ____________________