[Senate Report 114-252]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress    }                                      {       Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session       }                                      {      114-252

_______________________________________________________________________




                        SUMMARY OF LEGISLATIVE
                        AND OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES
                       DURING THE 113TH CONGRESS

               (January 3, 2013 through January 3, 2015)

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                              COMMITTEE ON

                   SMALL BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                  May 10, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
                  
                                   ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

59-010                         WASHINGTON : 2016 
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                          U.S. Senate, Committee on
                       Small Business and Entrepreneurship,
                                                    Washington, DC.
Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
President of the Senate,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. President: Senate Rule XXVI.8(b) requires the 
submission of a report of the activities of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship for the 
previous Congress.
    In accordance with the requirements, I am submitting the 
report of the activities of the Committee during the 113th 
Congress. This report outlines the most noteworthy legislative 
achievements and other achievements and activities of our 
Committee.
            Sincerely,
                                            Maria Cantwell,
                                                             Chair.
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL............................................   III
MEMBERSHIP.......................................................    VI
JURISDICTION.....................................................     1
OVERVIEW.........................................................     2
KEY LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES.......................................     4
    Promoting Women's Entrepreneurship...........................     4
    Improving Access to Capital..................................     5
    Closing the Racial Wealth Gap................................     6
    Extending the 504 Loan Refinance Provision...................     7
    Sole Source Contracting Authority for Women-Owned Small 
      Businesses.................................................     7
    Disaster Loan Assistance.....................................     8
    Strengthening the SBIR/STTR Programs.........................     9
    Making the Tax Code Work for Small Business..................     9
    Boosting Encore Entrepreneurship.............................     9
    Minimizing Effects of Sequestration on Small Businesses......    10
    Increasing Awareness for the Pivotal Role Played by Small 
      Businesses.................................................    10
MEASURES ENACTED OR OBVIATED RELEVANT TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON 
  SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP............................    10
NOMINATIONS......................................................    12
HEARINGS, ROUNDTABLES, AND MARKUPS OF THE 113TH CONGRESS.........    12
FIRST SESSION....................................................    12
SECOND SESSION...................................................    18
OVERSIGHT........................................................    20
RULES FOR THE U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND 
  ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR THE 113TH CONGRESS........................    24
JURISDICTION.....................................................    24
GENERAL SECTION..................................................    25
MEETINGS.........................................................    25
QUORUMS..........................................................    26
NOMINATIONS......................................................    26
HEARINGS.........................................................    26
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.........................................    27
MEDIA AND BROADCASTING...........................................    28
SUBCOMMITTEES....................................................    28
AMENDMENT OF RULES...............................................    28
STAFF OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND 
  ENTREPRENEURSHIP...............................................    29
BEGINNING of FIRST SESSION.......................................    29
CONCLUSION of SECOND SESSION.....................................    30
LEGISLATION REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE............................    30





                               MEMBERSHIP
            COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
                    One Hundred Thirteenth Congress
                             (1st Session)

                              ----------                              

                   MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana, Chair
                 JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho, Ranking Member

CARL LEVIN, Michigan                 DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
TOM HARKIN, Iowa                     MARCO RUBIO, Florida
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts         RAND PAUL, Kentucky
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington           TIM SCOTT, South Carolina
MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas              DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland         MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire        RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KAY R. HAGAN, North Carolina
HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota

                Jane Campbell, Democratic Staff Director
           Skiffington Holderness, Republican Staff Director

----------
Also serving on the Committee were Senators William M. Cowan (Democrat, 
Massachusetts) and Jeff Chiesa (Republican, New Jersey). Senator Cowan 
served on the Committee from February 12, 2013 to July 16, 2013. On 
this date his temporary appointment to the Senate expired with the 
swearing in of Edward J. Markey as United States Senator for 
Massachusetts. Senator Chiesa served on the Committee from June 20, 
2013 to October 31, 2013. On this date his temporary appointment to the 
Senate expired with the swearing in of Cory A. Booker as United States 
Senator for New Jersey.
                               MEMBERSHIP
            COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
                    One Hundred Thirteenth Congress
                              (2d Session)

                              ----------                              

                   MARIA CANTWELL, Washington, Chair
                 JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho, Ranking Member

CARL LEVIN, Michigan                 DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana          MARCO RUBIO, Florida
MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas              RAND PAUL, Kentucky
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland         TIM SCOTT, South Carolina
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire        DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
KAY R. HAGAN, North Carolina         MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming
HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota         RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey

                Jonathan Hale, Democratic Staff Director
           Skiffington Holderness, Republican Staff Director

----------
The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship has no 
subcommittees. They were abolished in 1995 at the start of the 104th 
Congress, under Chairman Kit Bond (Republican, Missouri) and Ranking 
Member Dale Bumpers (Democrat, Arkansas).
The chairmanship of the Committee transferred from Senator Landrieu to 
Senator Cantwell on February 12, 2014, just over a month into the 
second session of the 113th Congress.






114th Congress     }                                      {     Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session        }                                      {    114-252

======================================================================



 
   SUMMARY OF LEGISLATIVE AND OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES DURING THE 113TH 
                                CONGRESS

                  May 10, 2016.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Vitter, from the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                              Jurisdiction

    The jurisdiction of the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship is outlined in paragraphs 1(o)(1-3) of rule 
XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. The following is a 
reproduction of the relevant sections:

                                Rule XXV


                          STANDING COMMITTEES

    1. The following standing committees shall be appointed at 
the commencement of each Congress, and shall continue and have 
the power to act until their successors are appointed, with 
leave to report by bill or otherwise on matters within their 
respective jurisdictions:. . .
    (o)(1) Committee on Small Business, to which committee 
shall be referred all proposed legislation, messages, 
petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the Small 
Business Administration.
    (2) Any proposed legislation reported by such committee 
which relates to matters other than the functions of the Small 
Business Administration shall, at the request of the chairman 
of any standing committee having jurisdiction over the subject 
matter extraneous to the functions of the Small Business 
Administration, be considered and reported by such standing 
committee prior to its consideration by the Senate; and 
likewise measures reported by other committees directly 
relating to the Small Business Administration shall, at the 
request of the chairman of the Committee on Small Business, be 
referred to the Committee on Small Business for its 
consideration of any portions of the measure dealing with the 
Small Business Administration, and be reported by this 
committee prior to its consideration by the Senate.
    (3) Such committee shall also study and survey by means of 
research and investigation all problems of American small 
business enterprises, and report thereon from time to time. Per 
paragraph 3(a) of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship shall be 
composed of 18 members. S. Res. 17 and S. Res. 18, which were 
put forth by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority 
Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), respectively, established the 
Committee's membership as being ten (10) majority members and 
eight (8) minority members.

                                Overview

    The 113th Congress began on January 3, 2013 and ended two 
years later on January 3, 2015. Throughout the entirety of the 
Congress, Barack H. Obama was President, approaching the start 
of his second term at the beginning of the Congress, and 
entering into his final two years as the Congress ended.
    During this session of Congress control of the two chambers 
was split, with the Republicans serving as the majority party 
in the House, and the Democrats as the majority in the Senate. 
At the beginning of the session, party balance in the Senate 
was divided between 53 members on the Democratic side, 2 
Independents (Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Angus 
King of Maine, both caucusing with the Democrats), and 45 
Republicans. Dynamics in the Senate changed with the death of 
five-term Democratic senator from New Jersey, Senator Frank 
Lautenberg, on June 3, 2013. Senator Lautenberg's death left 
the chamber with 52 Democrats, 2 Independents, and 45 
Republicans. On June 6, 2013, New Jersey governor Chris 
Christie announced that he would be appointing Jeffrey Chiesa, 
the then-Attorney General of the state, to serve as United 
States Senator until a replacement could be elected. Senator 
Chiesa was officially sworn into the Senate on June 10, 2013, 
bringing the number of Republican Senators to 46, with 52 
Democrats and 2 Independents. On October 16, 2013, the state of 
New Jersey held its special election to permanently fill the 
late-Senator Lautenberg's seat. The election was won by the 
Democratic mayor of Newark, Cory Booker. Mr. Booker was sworn 
into the Senate on October 31, 2013, restoring the original 
breakdown existing at the start of the Congress, of 53 
Democrats, 2 Independents, and 45 Republicans.
    As the 113th began, Democratic Senator Mary L. Landrieu of 
Louisiana was again the Chair, and Republican Senator James E. 
Risch of Idaho was again the Ranking Member. The makeup of the 
Committee is established in the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
which prescribes there to be 18 members of the Committee. 
Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell 
introduced S. Res. 17 and S. Res. 18, respectively, which 
divided the membership of the Committee between 10 Democrats, 
and 8 Republicans. The original Democratic members of the 
Committee were Chair Landrieu, and Senators Carl Levin of 
Michigan, Tom Harkin of Iowa, John Kerry of Massachusetts, 
Maria Cantwell of Washington, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Benjamin 
Cardin of Maryland, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Kay Hagan 
of North Carolina, and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. The 
original Republican members of the Committee were Ranking 
Member Risch, and Senators David Vitter of Louisiana, Marco 
Rubio of Florida, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Tim Scott of South 
Carolina, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Michael Enzi of Wyoming, and 
Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
    There were four additional members added to the Committee 
during the Congress--two on a temporary appointment basis, and 
following that, two permanent additions. On February 1, 2013 
committee member Senator John Kerry resigned his seat to accept 
a nomination as the next United States Secretary of State. 
Following his resignation, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick 
appointed William Cowan, former legal counsel and chief of 
staff to the governor, to serve in the Senate until a special 
election could determine a permanent replacement. Upon Senator 
Cowan's swearing-in to the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid 
introduced S. Res. 29 on February 12, 2013, which added Senator 
Cowan to the Committee on the majority side. Senator Cowan 
served on the Committee until July 16, 2013, when his temporary 
appointment to the Senate expired with the swearing-in of his 
replacement, Edward Markey. S. Res. 196, introduced by Majority 
Leader Reid, added Senator Markey to the Committee on the 
Majority side, in replacement of former-Senator Cowan. Another 
change in the Committee membership occurred on June 3, 2013, 
due to the previously discussed death of Senator Frank 
Lautenberg. New Jersey governor Chris Christie appointed 
Jeffrey Chiesa to fill the seat, and upon Mr. Chiesa's 
swearing-in to the Senate, S. Res. 180, introduced by Minority 
Leader Mitch McConnell, added Senator Chiesa to the Committee 
as the ninth member on the Minority side. Senator Chiesa served 
on the Committee until October 31, 2013, when his temporary 
appointment to the Senate expired with the swearing-in of his 
replacement, Cory Booker. S. Res. 283, introduced by Majority 
Leader Reid, added Senator Booker to the Committee on the 
Majority side, which restored the original party-breakdown of 
the Committee of 10 Democrats and 8 Republicans.
    Another change in the Committee occurred not long into the 
second half of the Congress, and resulted in the Chairmanship 
of the Committee transferring from Senator Landrieu to Senator 
Maria Cantwell. The string of events leading to this leadership 
change began when Democratic Senator Max Baucus of Montana, 
resigned his seat to serve as United States Ambassador to 
China. At the time Senator Baucus was Chairman of the Senate 
Finance Committee, a position that, in the wake of his 
departure, was left vacant. The Chairmanship of the Finance 
Committee went to Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who 
in order to assume this new position, vacated his old position 
as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources. This new vacancy at the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources was filled by the then-Chair of the Small 
Business Committee, Senator Mary Landrieu. It should be noted 
that while Senator Landrieu resigned from her position as Chair 
of the Committee, she remained on as a member for the remainder 
of the Congress. On February 12, 2014, Senate Majority Leader 
Harry Reid introduced S. Res. 359, which officially named 
Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, the new Chair of the 
Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
    Throughout the entirety of the Congress the Committee held 
28 hearings, field hearings, roundtables and markups, and heard 
testimony from over 190 witnesses. Witness and expert testimony 
at these events centered on issues such as improving access to 
capital, promoting women's entrepreneurship, extending certain 
SBA loan provisions, and reforming the tax code to benefit 
small businesses. Additionally, in exercise of its oversight 
responsibilities, the Committee sent more than 23 letters to 
various agencies, agency heads, members of Congress, and the 
White House.

                       Key Legislative Activities

    Promoting Women's Entrepreneurship. Women-owned businesses 
have made significant contributions to our economy in recent 
decades, with the number of women-owned firms more than 
doubling--to 8.6 million--since 1987. In recent years, 
immediately following the economic recession, women-owned 
businesses ranked second only to publicly traded companies in 
job growth, adding 274,000 net new jobs since 2007. Today 
women-owned businesses contribute $3 trillion in economic 
growth, and support 23 million jobs.
    Despite the growth and success that this vital sector of 
our economy has experienced in recent years, women 
entrepreneurs still face substantial hurdles in their efforts 
to grow their businesses. One of the biggest challenges faced 
by women entrepreneurs is in accessing capital. Although they 
represent 30 percent of all small companies, women-owned small 
businesses receive only $1 out of every $23 in small business 
lending--just over 4 percent. When women do receive financing, 
it oftentimes comes with less favorable conditions than does 
lending to their male counterparts.
    Women also face hurdles in the area of federal contracting. 
Twenty years ago the United States government set a goal of 
awarding five percent of all federal contracts to women-owned 
businesses. This goal has never been met, and as a result, 
women-owned businesses have missed out on an estimated $4 
billion in contracting opportunities each year.
    Promoting equal footing for women entrepreneurs and 
strengthening the economic climate for women-owned businesses 
was a huge push during the 113th Congress. As part of this 
effort, Chair Landrieu held a hearing on May 8, 2013 entitled 
``Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Minority 
Women.'' The focus of the hearing was on the Women's Business 
Ownership Act, which when passed in 1988, extended the Equal 
Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 to include business credit, 
required that the Census Bureau more completely count women-
owned enterprises, established the National Women's Business 
Council, and launched a pilot program of entrepreneurship 
training that led to the SBA's Women's Business Center program. 
The witnesses at the hearing engaged in discussion centered on 
increasing access to capital, access to federal contracts, and 
funding for counseling. Chair Landrieu used this discussion as 
a starting point from which she led an effort to reauthorize 
the Women's Business Ownership Act, which had not been done by 
Congress since 1999.
    When Senator Cantwell took over as Chair of the Committee, 
she too made promoting women's entrepreneurship a top priority. 
On July 23, 2014 the Committee released a report, entitled 
``21st Century Barriers to Women's Entrepreneurship,'' that 
took an in-depth look at the issue of women's entrepreneurship, 
and the challenges women face in starting and growing a 
business. The report found that women face significant 
challenges, which include getting fair access to capital, 
getting equal access to federal contracts, and getting relevant 
business training and counseling. Beyond studying the climate 
for women entrepreneurs, the report made a number of 
suggestions for strengthening women's entrepreneurship. 
Included among these potential solutions are modernizing and 
expanding the Small Business Administration's Microloan 
program, enacting new legislation that would provide sole-
source contracting to women-owned businesses, and reauthorizing 
the Women's Business Center program with increased funding.
    Acting on the recommendations from the report, Chairwoman 
Cantwell introduced the Women's Small Business Ownership Act of 
2014 on July 30, 2014. Joined by co-sponsoring Senators Tammy 
Baldwin, Barbara Boxer, Benjamin Cardin, Kirsten Gillibrand, 
Kay Hagan, Martin Heinrich, Jeanne Shaheen, and John Walsh, the 
act sought to improve access to capital, increase women's 
access to counseling and training services, and help women 
achieve parity in terms of federal contract receipts.
    Specifically, the Act would have expanded the Small 
Business Administration's Microloan program to reach more 
borrowers up to $50,000, reauthorized the SBA's pilot 
Intermediary Lending program, allowed sole-source contracting 
for women hoping to secure federal contracts, increased funding 
for the Women's Business Center program, and required that the 
SBA examine which industries throughout the economy are under-
represented by women-owned small businesses, and therefore 
stand as targets for further economic growth.
    Improving Access to Capital. In the post-recession economic 
climate, accessing sufficient capital has been one of the 
biggest challenges facing small businesses. This presents a 
significant hurdle to Main Street entrepreneurs as 51 percent 
of all small businesses in the United States depend on bank-
issued loans to start or grow their enterprises. Small 
businesses can't grow and create jobs without sufficient access 
to capital. Throughout the entirety of this Congress, the 
Committee made increasing and improving small business' access 
to capital one of its top priorities.
    Several bills were introduced during this Congress aiming 
to improve access to capital. On March 11, 2013, Chair Landrieu 
introduced the Expanding Access to Capital for Entrepreneurial 
Leaders (EXCEL) Act of 2013. This bill, which was cosponsored 
by Ranking Member Risch, as well as Senators Cardin and Cowan, 
sought to make improvements to the SBA's Small Business 
Investment Company (SBIC) program. This program was designed to 
help bridge the gap that exists between small businesses 
needing capital, and the market of traditional financing 
sources. SBICs are privately owned and operated investment 
funds, for which the SBA guarantees money borrowed for 
investment in small businesses. Since its inception in 1958, 
the SBIC program has seen significant success, having invested 
over $56 billion in over 100,000 small businesses. Past 
recipients include companies that have gone on to achieve great 
success, including Apple Computer, AOL, Costco, and Outback 
Steakhouse.
    In recent years, the program's success has only grown--in 
FY 2012, the program experienced its third consecutive record-
year, with SBA-guaranteed leverage commitments totaling nearly 
$2 billion. SBA estimates at the time predicted that demand for 
the program would continue to grow. Despite this rapid growth, 
authorized funding for the program had not been permanently 
raised since 2003, and is currently capped at $3 billion. The 
EXCEL Act sought to improve capital access to businesses by 
increasing the cap on the SBIC program.
    The bill, which was cosponsored by Senators Risch, Cardin, 
and Cowan, was discussed in Committee in a March 14, 2013 
roundtable entitled, ``Helping Small Businesses Weather 
Economic Challenges & Natural Disasters: Review of Legislative 
Proposals on Access to Capital and Disaster Recovery.'' In a 
June 17, 2013 markup, the bill was amended by Chair Landrieu 
and Ranking Member Risch, and then reported favorably by voice 
vote.
    In April of 2014, Chair Cantwell hosted a field hearing in 
Vancouver, Washington titled ``Capital Access for Main Street: 
Meeting Opportunities of Growth along the Lower Columbia.'' 
This hearing featured testimony from local small business 
owners, lenders, and economic development leaders, about the 
challenges associated with securing loans for expanding 
businesses and creating jobs. Also discussed were two of the 
popular loan programs offered through the Small Business 
Administration--the 7(a) loan program, which provides capital 
to businesses that have a tough time obtaining traditional 
financing, and the 504 program, which provides both real estate 
loans, and loans to purchase equipment. Both programs allow the 
government to assume some of the risk associated with lending, 
to encourage lenders to ease access to capital. This field 
hearing was the first stop in Chairwoman Cantwell's ``Listening 
Tour on Small Business Job Creation.''
    Closing the Racial Wealth Gap. In 2011, the median net 
worth of Caucasians was $110,500, compared to $6,314 for 
African-Americans (94.3 percent lower than the median for 
Caucasians), $7,683 for Hispanics (93 percent lower), and 
$89,339 for Asians (19.2 percent lower). This gap can be 
explained, in part, by the fact that minorities earn lower 
incomes, and have less wealth generation over time. In addition 
to contributing to a number of other problems, this wealth gap 
hurts the ability of minorities to create, maintain, and grow 
small businesses, which in 2010 employed 55 million Americans.
    The wealth gap issue is one that Chair Landrieu and the 
Committee looked at very closely this Congress, as the 
percentage of the population that is a racial minority is 
estimated to increase dramatically in the coming decades, from 
37 percent currently, to 57 percent in 2060. As part of this 
examination, the Committee held a roundtable on September 18, 
2013 entitled ``Closing the Wealth Gap: Empowering America to 
Reach Its Full Economic Potential for Growth and Job 
Creation.'' The goal of the roundtable was to find solutions 
and best practices for closing the racial wealth gap, and 
address why--unlike other gaps in income and high school 
completion--the wealth gap is not decreasing.
    Chair Landrieu also released a committee report analyzing 
the racial wealth gap. The report thoroughly examines the issue 
of the gap, and suggests a number of factors contributing to 
its existence. Factors include lower levels of homeownership by 
minorities, a lack of generational wealth transfers (inherited 
wealth) to minorities relative to Caucasians, a lower degree of 
asset diversity among minorities, greater levels of student 
loan debt for minorities, lending discrimination against 
minorities, minorities' lower access to professional networks, 
language barriers, disparities in racial unemployment rates, 
and racial differences in internet access. Although 
highlighting the broader issues associated with a racial wealth 
gap, the report called for finding solutions to the gap in 
order to spur growth in both the small business community, and 
across the economy as a whole.
    In addition to the above efforts, Chair Landrieu sent 
letters to 100 mayors across the country to gather insight and 
suggestions for how to best address the challenges associated 
with closing the wealth gap.
    Extending the 504 Loan Refinance Provision. The ability to 
refinance owner-occupied commercial real estate debt through 
the 504 loan guaranty program, originally allowed by the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (P.L. 
111-5), was temporarily expanded by the Small Business Jobs Act 
of 2010. The authority was a zero-cost way to help small 
businesses access their own equity that they had built up over 
the years in order to hire additional employees or retain those 
currently employed. In FY 2012, the second and final year of 
the program, the SBA utilized the provision to approve over 
2,400 refinancings for over $2.2 billion to small businesses.
    Chair Landrieu and Senator Shaheen introduced the 
Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development (CREED) Act on 
February 12, 2013, which would have extended for five years, a 
provision allowing small business owners to use Small Business 
Administration 504 loans to refinance certain existing 
commercial mortgages. The provisions contained within the CREED 
Act were originally enacted with the Small Business Jobs Act of 
2010, but did not become fully operational until February 2012. 
These provisions expired only months later in September 2012.
    The CREED Act, which had eleven cosponsors (Senators 
Cantwell, Cardin, Cowan, Franken, Hagan, Isakson, Johnson, 
King, McCaskill, Nelson, and Pryor), was discussed in Committee 
in a March 14, 2013 roundtable titled ``Helping Small 
Businesses Weather Economic Challenges & Natural Disasters: 
Review of Legislative Proposals on Access to Capital and 
Disaster Recovery.'' On June 17, 2013, the bill was approved 
unanimously by voice vote, and was reported out of Committee.
    Sole Source Contracting Authority for Women-Owned Small 
Businesses. Prior to the 113th Congress, the Women-Owned Small 
Business program did not permit women-owned small businesses to 
receive sole source awards. Two major bills were introduced, 
and the measure was finally passed into law as an amendment to 
the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2015.
    In June 2014, Senator Shaheen introduced S. 2481, the 
Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act, to amend the 
Small Business Act by revising the procurement program 
requirements for women-owned small businesses. It sought to 
authorize the ability to award sole source contracts under the 
Act to small businesses owned and controlled by women who are 
economically disadvantaged, and who meet other criteria.
    In July 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell also introduced sole 
source legislation--S. 2693, the Women's Small Business 
Ownership Act of 2014--to amend the Small Business Act to 
direct the Office of Women's Business Ownership within the 
Small Business Administration to address issues concerning 
specified disciplines required for starting, operating, and 
expanding a small business. It sought to authorize the ability 
to award sole source contracts to small businesses owned and 
controlled by one or more women who are economically 
disadvantaged, and to those whose businesses reside within 
industries where such businesses are substantially 
underrepresented.
    In July 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell and Ranking Member Risch 
led a hearing titled ``Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: 
Understanding Successes, Addressing Persistent Challenges, and 
Identifying New Opportunities.'' At the hearing, testimony was 
heard from the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration, as well as a number of female small business 
owners. Witnesses stressed the importance of access to capital, 
access to training and counseling, and access to federal 
contracts.
    In December 2014, the Small Business Committee was able to 
add a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2015, which became Public Law 113-291 that amended 
the Small Business Act to allow federal agencies to award sole 
source contracts to women-owned small businesses and 
economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses in 
designated industries.
    Disaster Loan Assistance. As she has in other Congresses, 
Chair Landrieu believed that disaster loan assistance was one 
of the SBA's most important services, and she made their 
programs a priority. She continually sought ways to make the 
SBA disaster programs more affordable and responsive to the 
business owners and homeowners who rely on the SBA in desperate 
times. Her work this Congress built upon past efforts, in which 
she successfully enacted SBA disaster reforms following 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the Deepwater Horizon disaster 
in 2010.
    Chair Landrieu and Senator Cochran introduced the Small 
Business Disaster Recovery Act on February 28, 2013, which was 
designed to make the SBA disaster programs more responsive to 
the needs of small businesses. The bill would have clarified 
that the SBA cannot use a business owner's primary residence as 
collateral for business loans under $200,000, if there are 
other suitable business assets that could instead be used as 
collateral. The bill also allows out-of-state SBDCs to 
contribute assistance to in-state SBDCs in presidentially 
declared disaster areas.
    The ideas in the bill, which was cosponsored by Senators 
Cardin, Casey, Gillibrand, Heitkamp, Hoeven, Pryor, and Wicker, 
were discussed in Committee in a March 14, 2013 roundtable 
titled, ``Helping Small Businesses Weather Economic Challenges 
& Natural Disasters: Review of Legislative Proposals on Access 
to Capital and Disaster Recovery.'' In a June 17, 2013 markup, 
the bill was amended by Senators Shaheen, Landrieu, and Hagan. 
Senator Shaheen's amendment provided increased oversight of 
economic injury disaster loans. Chair Landrieu's amendment 
reduced the paperwork burden on individuals and businesses 
applying for SBA disaster assistance. An amendment offered by 
Chair Landrieu and Senator Hagan required the SBA to report on 
their progress establishing an online portal for businesses and 
individuals to track their disaster loan applications. In an 
11-6 vote occurring during that same markup, the Small Business 
Disaster Reform Act of 2013 was reported favorably by the 
Committee.
    Strengthening the SBIR/STTR Programs. The Committee on 
Small Business and Entrepreneurship has oversight of the two 
largest federal research and development programs for small 
businesses--the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and 
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Through 
these programs, the government partners with small businesses, 
or small businesses and research universities or labs, to help 
solve its research and development problems by making small but 
sufficient awards to test as many ideas as possible. The focus 
is on discovering, funding, and evaluating the initial, 
highest-risk, most cutting-edge exploratory research that is 
necessary to achieve significant technological innovations and 
breakthroughs, and to increase private-sector commercialization 
of innovation derived from federal research and development. As 
a result, these programs stimulate the economy, and create 
businesses and jobs by making good use of the country's 
entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers.
    With the aim of further improving these programs, on March 
8, 2013 Chair Landrieu sent letters to eleven different 
government agencies requesting that they report on their 
progress toward meeting SBIR and STTR program implementation 
goals.
    Making the Tax Code Work for Small Business. On July 17, 
2013 Chair Landrieu and Ranking Member Risch led a roundtable 
entitled ``Small Business Tax Reform: Making the Tax Code Work 
for Entrepreneurs and Startups.'' The discussion included a 
number of tax policy experts, business owners, as well as 
investors, and was designed to give small businesses a voice in 
the tax reform debate. Participants in the discussion stressed 
that simplicity should be an important consideration in any tax 
reform proposal, as should the idea that reform should benefit 
not only large companies, but small businesses as well.
    Chair Landrieu also held a field hearing on January 21, 
2014 that addressed this topic. The hearing, held in Lafayette, 
Louisiana, was titled ``Fueling America--Enabling and 
Empowering Small Businesses to Unleash Domestic Production.'' 
Among the topics of discussion was the impact that federal tax 
policies can have on local independent oil and gas producers in 
the Lafayette area--many of which are small businesses. 
Witnesses at the hearing included experts on tax and accounting 
policy, as well as accountants.
    Boosting Encore Entrepreneurship. Chair Landrieu believed 
that entrepreneurship is an endeavor that can be undertaken by 
workers of any age. In 2013, there were 76 million people over 
the age of 50 living in the United States. It has been 
estimated that one in four Americans ages 44 to 70 is 
interested in becoming an entrepreneur in the next five to ten 
years. These demographics suggest that entrepreneurs over the 
age of 50, or ``encore entrepreneurs,'' represent an important 
part of our economy.
    To help ensure this economic opportunity is realized, Chair 
Landrieu introduced the Empowering Encore Entrepreneurs (E3) 
Act of 2013, in co-sponsorship with Senator Bill Nelson, 
Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The E3 Act 
would authorize additional funding for online and in-person 
training for encore entrepreneurs, and would require that the 
barriers and obstacles facing encore entrepreneurs in their 
efforts to start or expand businesses, be studied. The act 
complements a joint effort by the Small Business Administration 
and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to 
provide counseling and training to more than 100,000 new and 
existing entrepreneurs in 2013.
    Minimizing Effects of Sequestration on Small Businesses. As 
mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011, federal agencies 
were required to cut spending in 2013 to sequestration levels. 
Chair Landrieu was concerned that by drastically cutting each 
agency's spending, their ability to meet small business 
contracting goals would be lessened, thus hurting small 
businesses across the country. In response, Chair Landrieu sent 
letters to over 30 federal agencies stressing the important 
economic role that small businesses play, and expressing her 
concern that the cuts would unfairly harm small businesses.
    Increasing Awareness for the Pivotal Role Played by Small 
Businesses. According to the Small Business Administration, 
small businesses employ nearly half of all U.S. workers, are 
responsible for injecting close to $1 trillion into the 
economy, and have generated between 60 and 80 percent of net 
new jobs each year over the past decade.
    Recognizing the importance of small businesses, Chair 
Landrieu and Ranking Member Risch were joined by 54 other 
senators from both parties in declaring the week beginning June 
17, 2013 as National Small Business Week.

Measures Enacted or Obviated Relevant to the Senate Committee on Small 
                     Business and Entrepreneurship

    S. Res. 17, a resolution to constitute the majority party's 
membership on certain committees for the One Hundred Thirteenth 
Congress, or until their successors are chosen. Mr. Reid. 
Agreed to Jan 24, 2013.
    S. Res. 18, a resolution making minority party appointments 
for the 113th Congress. Mr. McConnell. Agreed to Jan 24, 2013.
    S. Res. 29, a resolution to constitute the majority party's 
membership on certain committees for the One Hundred Thirteenth 
Congress, or until their successors are chosen. Mr. Reid. 
Agreed to Feb 12, 2013.
    S. Res. 64, an original resolution authorizing expenditures 
by committees of the Senate for the period March 1, 2013, 
through September 30, 2013. Mr. Schumer. Agreed to Feb 28, 
2013.
    S. Res. 177, a resolution honoring the entrepreneurial 
spirit of small business concerns in the United States during 
National Small Business Week, which begins on June 17, 2013. 
Ms. Landrieu. Agreed to Jun 19, 2013.
    S. Res. 180, a resolution making minority party 
appointments for the 113th Congress. Mr. McConnell. Agreed to 
Jun 20, 2013.
    S. Res. 196, a resolution to constitute the majority 
party's membership on certain committees for the One Hundred 
Thirteenth Congress, or until their successors are chosen. Mr. 
Reid. Agreed to Jul 16, 2013.
    S. Res. 253, an original resolution authorizing 
expenditures by committees of the Senate for the periods 
October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014, and October 1, 
2014, through February 28, 2015. Mr. Schumer. Agreed to Oct 3, 
2013.
    S. Res. 283, a resolution to constitute the majority 
party's membership on certain committees for the One Hundred 
Thirteenth Congress, or until their successors are chosen. Mr. 
Reid. Agreed to Oct 31, 2013.
    S. Res. 359, a resolution to constitute the majority 
party's membership on certain committees for the One Hundred 
Thirteenth Congress, or until their successors are chosen. Mr. 
Reid. Agreed to Feb 12, 2014.
    S. Res. 548, a resolution designating November 29, 2014, as 
``Small Business Saturday'' and supporting efforts to increase 
awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses. Ms. 
Cantwell. Agreed to Sep 16, 2014.
    P.L. 113-2, making supplemental appropriations [including 
to the Small Business Administration] for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2013, to improve and streamline disaster 
assistance for Hurricane Sandy, and for other purposes. Mr. 
Harold Rogers. Introduced on Jan 4, 2013 as H.R. 152. Passed 
the Senate on Jan 28, 2013. Became Public Law on Jan 29, 2013.
    P.L. 113-6, an Act making consolidated appropriations and 
further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2013. Increases appropriations to the Small 
Business Administration's Business Loans Program Account. Mr. 
Harold Rogers. Introduced on Mar 4, 2013 as H.R. 933. Passed 
the Senate on Mar 20, 2013. Became Public Law on Mar 26, 2013.
    P.L. 113-66, an act to authorize the President to award the 
Medal of Honor to Bennie G. Adkins and Donald P. Sloat of the 
United States Army for acts of valor during the Vietnam 
Conflict and to authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to 
certain other veterans who were previously recommended for 
award of the Medal of Honor. Also amends provisions of the 
Small Business Act related to federal contracting goals. Mr. 
Theodore Deutch. Introduced on Oct 22, 2013 as H.R. 3304. 
Passed the Senate on Nov 19, 2013. Became Public Law on Dec 26, 
2013.
    P.L. 113-89, to delay the implementation of certain 
provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 
2012, and for other purposes. Directs FEMA to monitor and 
report on the impact of certain mandatory rate increases on the 
affordability of flood insurance for certain small businesses. 
Mr. Michael Grimm. Introduced on Oct 29, 2013 as H.R. 3370. 
Passed the Senate on Mar 13, 2014. Became Public Law Mar 21, 
2014.
    P.L. 113-76, an act making consolidated appropriations 
[including to the Small Business Administration] for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2014, and for other purposes. Mr. 
Lamar Smith. Introduced on Nov 20, 2013 as H.R. 3547. Passed 
the Senate on Dec 12, 2013. Became Public Law on Jan 17, 2014.
    P.L. 113-164, a resolution making continuing appropriations 
for fiscal year 2015, and for other purposes. Provides funding 
for general business loans authorized under the Small Business 
Act, and permits funds to be apportioned up to the rate 
necessary to accommodate increased demand for the loans. Mr. 
Harold Rogers. Introduced on Sep 9, 2014 as H.J. Res. 124. 
Passed the Senate on Sep 18, 2014. Became Public Law on Sep 19, 
2014.

                              Nominations

    The Small Business Administration has four positions that 
are filled by presidential appointment, which then require 
Senate confirmation under the jurisdiction of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The positions 
are: SBA Administrator, SBA Deputy Administrator, SBA Inspector 
General, and Chief Counsel for Advocacy.
    During the 113th Congress, only the positions of SBA 
Administrator and Chief Counsel for Advocacy needed Senate 
action. The position of SBA Inspector General was held by Peggy 
E. Gustafson, confirmed on September 24, 2009. The position of 
SBA Deputy Administrator has been empty since May 2013.

Maria Contreras-Sweet

    On January 15, 2014, President Obama nominated Maria 
Contreras-Sweet to serve as the twenty-fourth Administrator of 
the Small Business Administration. A hearing was held on 
February 12, 2014 to examine the nomination. The nomination was 
reported favorably out of the Committee by unanimous voice vote 
on March 5, 2014. On March 27, 2014, the nomination was 
confirmed by a voice vote of the full Senate.

Gilberto de Jesus

    On August 28, 2014, President Obama nominated Gilberto de 
Jesus to serve as Chief Counsel for Advocacy for the Small 
Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. The 113th 
Congress ended before the Committee was able to act on Mr. de 
Jesus' nomination.

        Hearings, Roundtables, and Markups of the 113th Congress


                            FIRST SESSION\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\The Committee also held two informal, unofficial events during 
the first session: on April 11, 2013, the Committee hosted a coffee 
reception, titled ``Senate Small Business Committee Coffee to Discuss 
Your Group's Priorities for the 113th Congress,'' and a roundtable on 
April 18, 2013, which focused on strengthening the entrepreneurial 
ecosystem for musicians.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    February 13, 2013: Meeting to Organize the Committee on 
Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Landrieu chaired. 
The Committee met to adopt rules governing the procedures of 
the Committee, as well as to adopt the budget for the first 
seven months of 113th Congress. The rules establish how the 
Committee will operate and the rights of the Majority and the 
Minority for the congressional session.
    March 14, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Helping Small 
Businesses Weather Economic Challenges and Natural Disasters: 
Review of Legislative Proposals on Access to Capital and 
Disaster Recovery,'' Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from 
Mr. James Rivera, Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster 
Assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration; Ms. Jeanne 
Hulit, Associate Administrator, Office of Capital Access, U.S. 
Small Business Administration; Mr. John Needham, Assistant 
Inspector General for Audit, Office of the Inspector General, 
U.S. Small Business Administration; Mr. James L. King, State 
Director, NY State Small Business Development Center; Prof. 
Howard Kunreuther, James G. Dinan Professor of Decision 
Sciences & Public Policy, Wharton School; Dr. Erwann Michel-
Kerjan, Managing Director, Wharton Risk Management & Decision 
Processes Center, Wharton School; Mr. Jim Rich, President, 
Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Ashley Fingarson, 
Manager, Legislative Affairs, National Federation of 
Independent Business; Mr. Ralph Hardt, President, Jagemann 
Stamping Company; Dr. David B. Muhlhausen, Research Fellow in 
Empirical Policy Analysis, The Heritage Foundation; Mr. Sengal 
Selassie, Co-founder, Brightwood Capital Advisors, LLC. The 
Committee met to discuss legislative proposals currently before 
the Committee to promote access to capital and assist small 
businesses impacted by disasters.
    April 17, 2013: Hearing titled ``The FY 2014 Budget Request 
for the Small Business Administration,'' Senator Landrieu 
chaired. Testimony from the Honorable Karen Mills, 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; the 
Honorable Peggy Gustafson, Inspector General, U.S. Small 
Business Administration; Dr. Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel 
for Advocacy, Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business 
Administration. The Committee met to discuss the proposed FY14 
budget for the SBA.
    May 8, 2013: Hearing titled ``Strengthening the 
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Minority Women,'' Senator 
Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Ms. Alejandra Castillo, 
National Deputy Director, Minority Business Development Agency; 
the Honorable Marie Johns, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small 
Business Administration; Ms. Dixie Kolditz, Owner, Brighton 
Enterprises, Inc. and Open-Box Creations, LLC; Ms. Eva 
Longoria, Founder, Eva Longoria Foundation; Mr. Marc Morial, 
President and CEO, National Urban League; Ms. Sophia Parker, 
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, DSFederal, Inc; Ms. 
Marianne Lancaster, President and CEO, Lancaster Packaging, 
Inc. The Committee met to learn about impediments facing 
minority women, and discuss potential solutions for 
strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem for minority women.
    May 16, 2013: Roundtable titled ``The Impact of Mandatory 
E-Verify on America's Small Businesses,'' Senator Landrieu 
chaired. Testimony from Mr. John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO, 
Small Business Majority; Mr. David R. Burton, General Counsel, 
National Small Business Association; Ms. Sabrina B. Poole, 
President & CEO, SERDI LLC; Mr. Rick Judson, Owner, Evergreen 
Development Group; Mr. Peter Monaghan, Deputy Associate 
Commissioner, Data Exchange and Policy Publications, Social 
Security Administration; Ms. Kathy Lotspeich, Deputy Chief, 
Verification Division, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, 
Department of Homeland Security; Mr. Ryan Kearney, Manager, 
Labor & Workforce Policy, National Restaurant Association; Mr. 
Frank Fiorille, Senior Director-Risk Management, Paychex. The 
Committee met to examine the impact of comprehensive 
immigration reform on America's small businesses, with a focus 
on E-Verify and the impact of mandatory employer participation 
on America's small businesses. E-Verify is an online employment 
verification program administered by the Department of Homeland 
Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
    May 22, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Bridging the Skills Gap: 
How the STEM Education Pipeline Can Develop a High-Skilled 
American Workforce for Small Business,'' Senator Landrieu 
chaired. Testimony from Ms. Rose Wang, Founder & CEO, Binary 
Group; Mr. Loren Goodman, Co-Founder and Chief Technology 
Officer, InRule Technology; Mr. Johan Uvin, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department 
of Education; Ms. Gerri Fiala, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor; 
Ms. Leah Belsky, Senior Vice President, Kaltura; Ms. Dee 
Mooney, Executive Director, Micron Foundation; Dr. Shree 
Taylor, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Delta Decisions 
of DC; Ms. Naomi Moneypenny, Vice President, Research and 
Media, ManyWorlds, Inc.; Ms. Camsie McAdams, Senior Advisor, 
STEM, Office of Program Evaluation and Policy, Department of 
Education; Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Assistant Director, 
Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation; Dr. 
Bob Kolvoord, Ph.D., Co-Director, Center for STEM Education & 
Outreach, James Madison University. The Committee met to focus 
on the challenges that start-ups and small and medium-sized 
businesses face, related to workforce training and readiness.
    June 13, 2013: Markup of S. 511, the Expanding Access to 
Capital for Entrepreneurial Leaders Act; S. 289, the Commercial 
Real Estate and Economic Development Act; S. 537, the 
Communicating Lender Activity Reports from the Small Business 
Administration Act; and S. 415, the Small Business Disaster 
Reform Act. Senator Landrieu chaired. S. 511, the Expanding 
Access to Capital for Entrepreneurial Leaders (or EXCEL) Act, 
was amended by Senators Landrieu and Risch, and was approved by 
voice vote. S. 289, the Commercial Real Estate and Economic 
Development (or CREED) Act, was amended by Senators Landrieu 
and Risch, and was approved unanimously by voice vote. S. 537, 
the Communicating Lender Activity Reports from the Small 
Business Administration (or CLEAR SBA) Act, was amended by 
Senators Landrieu and Risch, and approved unanimously by voice 
vote. S. 415, the Small Business Disaster Reform Act, was 
amended by Senators Landrieu, Shaheen, and Hagan, and was 
approved 11-6 by recorded vote.
    June 20, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Sequestration: Small 
Business Contractors Weathering the Storm in a Climate of 
Fiscal Uncertainty,'' Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from 
Mr. Joseph Misanin, Deputy Director, Technology and Innovation, 
Office of Small Business Programs, Department of Defense; Ms. 
Jiyoung Park, Associate Administrator, Office of Small Business 
Utilization, General Services Administration; Mr. Mauricio 
Vera, Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 
Utilization, U.S. Agency for International Development; Ms. Dot 
Harris, Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged 
Utilization, Department of Energy; Mr. Calvin Jenkins, Deputy 
Associate Administrator, Office of Government Contracting & 
Business Development, U.S. Small Business Administration; Mr. 
Antwanye Ford, President & Co-Founder, Enlightened Inc.; Mr. 
Kevin Boshears, Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged 
Business Utilization, Department of Homeland Security; Mr. Joe 
Jordan, Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, 
Office of Management and Budget; Mr. Brandon Neal, Director, 
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 
Department of Transportation; Mr. Willie H. Smith, Senior 
Procurement Executive, Department of Transportation; Ms. Nicole 
Priester, President, Encore Solutions, Inc., Mr. Peter 
Antoinette, President & CEO, Nanocomp Technologies, Inc., Mr. 
Roger Jordan, Vice President of Government Relations, 
Professional Services Council. The Committee met to discuss how 
federal agencies plan to mitigate the impact of budget cuts on 
small business contracting goals.
    July 17, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Small Business Tax 
Reform: Making the Tax Code Work for Entrepreneurs and 
Startups,'' Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Ms. 
Kristie Arslan, President and CEO, National Association for the 
Self-Employed; Mr. Kenneth B. Canty, P.E., President and CEO, 
Freeland Construction Company, Inc.; Mr. Mike Eckert, Vice 
Chairman, Angel Capital Association; Mr. Chris Edwards, 
Director, Tax Policy Studies, CATO Institute; Mr. Scott Hodge, 
President, Tax Foundation; Mr. Michael Keeling, President, The 
ESOP Association; Ms. Annette Nellen, Professor, College of 
Business, San Jose University; Mr. Greg Nelson, General 
Manager, Brown Rental, Inc.; Mr. William Randolph, Director, 
Business & International Taxation, Office of Tax Policy, U.S. 
Department of the Treasury; Ms. Ann Sullivan, President, Women 
Impacting Public Policy; Mr. Sandy Zinman, CPA, Owner, Zinman 
Accounting. The Committee met to discuss what the U.S. tax code 
should look like to accelerate the start-up and growth of small 
businesses, as well as the concerns and priorities of America's 
small businesses as Congress considers tax reform.
    July 24, 2013: Hearing titled ``Implementation of the 
Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns,'' 
Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Ms. Chiquita Brooks-
LaSure, Deputy Director, Policy and Regulation, Center for 
Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services; Mr. J. Mark Iwry, Senior Advisor 
to the Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement 
and Health Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Ms. 
Meredith K. Olafson, Senior Policy Advisor to the 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Ms. Nancy 
Clark, President, Glen Group, Inc.; Mr. William J. Dennis, Jr., 
Senior Research Fellow, National Federation of Independent 
Business; Mr. Jim Houser, Owner, Hawthorne Auto Clinic, Inc.; 
Mr. Lawrence K. Katz, President and CEO, Jomar Cafe, Inc. dba 
Dot's Diner; Mr. Jamal Lee, Director and Chief Engineer, 
Breasia Studios, LLC; Mr. Kevin Settles, President and CEO, 
Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery. The Committee met to focus on 
the implementation of certain provisions of the Affordable Care 
Act, and their impact on small businesses.
    September 18, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Closing the Wealth 
Gap: Empowering America to Reach Its Full Economic Potential 
for Growth and Job Creation,'' Senator Landrieu chaired. 
Testimony from Dr. Signe-Mary McKernan, Economist, The Urban 
Institute; Dr. Rakesh Kochhar, Associate Director, Research, 
Hispanic Trends, Pew Research Center; Dr. Thomas Boston, 
Professor, School of Economics, Georgia Tech University; Mr. 
Darryl K. Hairston, Associate Administrator, Office of Business 
Development, U.S. Small Business Administration; Mrs. Zenita 
Wickham Hurley, Esq., Special Secretary of Minority Affairs, 
Office of Minority Affairs, Maryland Governor's Office; Ms. 
Toya Powell, Vice President, Operations, U.S. Black Chambers, 
Inc.; Ms. Connie Evans, President and CEO, Association for 
Enterprise Opportunity; Ms. Barbara Major, Member, The 
Collaborative Group; Ms. Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, 
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community 
Development; Mr. Kevin Allis, Tribal Member, Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Chairman of the Board, Potawatomi 
Business Development Corporation; Dr. Shree Taylor, Managing 
Partner, Delta Decisions of DC, LLC; Ms. Anisa Balwani, 
President, RCI Technologies, Inc. The Committee met to discuss 
the economic disparities found within the Wealth Gap Report and 
to use the opportunity to discuss effective strategies and 
solutions, within the Committee's jurisdiction, that build 
wealth in historically disadvantaged communities.
    October 10, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Strengthening the 
Future of Women-Owned Business: Reauthorization of SBA's 
Women's Business Center and Contracting Programs.'' Senator 
Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Ms. Erin Andrew, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Women's Business Ownership, U.S. Small 
Business Administration; Ms. Barbara Kasoff, President & CEO, 
Women Impacting Public Policy; Ms. Samira Cook Gaines, Founding 
Director, DC Women's Business Center; and Ms. Angela O'Byrne, 
Owner, Perez APC. The Committee met to discuss the 
reauthorization of the Small Business Administration's Women 
Business Center program and the Women's Procurement program.
    October 15, 2013: Hearing titled ``Small Business Speak: 
Surviving the Government Shutdown?'' Senator Landrieu chaired. 
Testimony from Ms. Sabrina B. Poole, President & CEO, SERDI, 
LLC; Ms. Lisa Firestone, President & CEO, Managed Care 
Advisors; Mr. Antwanye Ford, President & CEO, Enlightened, 
Inc.; Mr. Keith Griffall, CEO, Western Leisure, Inc.; Mr. Chris 
Leh, President, TL Technologies, Inc.; Mr. Ronald D. Paul, 
Chairman, Eagle Bancorp, Inc.; Mr. Barun Singh, Founder & Chief 
Technology Officer, WegoWise, Inc.; Ms. Joaneane Smith, 
President & CEO, Global Commerce & Services, LLC; Mr. Charles 
Withee, President, The Provident Bank; Ms. Sally B. Robertson, 
President, Business Finance Group, Inc. The Committee met to 
hear testimony from small business owners on how the federal 
government shutdown was hurting their businesses.
    November 8, 2013: Field Hearing titled ``From Warriors to 
Entrepreneurs: Business Opportunities for Veterans,'' Senator 
Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Ms. Jeanne A. Hulit, Acting 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Ms. Janet M. 
Roderick, ASBTDC State Director, UALR College of Business; Mr. 
David Wallace, Wallace Staffing and Labor; Mr. Damian Coleman, 
Marquette GIS, Inc.; Ms. Anita Montgomery; Ms. Linda R. Nelson, 
CPA, Arkansas Small Business Administration Director; Mr. Jeff 
Frisby, Enlisted Association of the Arkansas National Guard; 
Mr. Kevin Kidd, Taco Kidd; Ms. Itzel Meador, Arkansas Capital 
Corporation Group; Ms. Esther Fitch. The Committee met to 
discuss efforts to provide entrepreneurship training and 
business counseling for our nation's veterans and returning 
service members.
    November 13, 2013: Roundtable titled ``Serving our Service 
Members: A Review of Programs for Veteran Entrepreneurs,'' 
Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Mr. C.E. Rowe, 
President and CEO, America's SBDC; Lt. Col. Jason C. Anderson, 
Founder and CEO, Active-Duty Entrepreneur, LLC; Ms. Robin D. 
Kistler, Director, LSU Executive Education, Louisiana State 
University; Mr. Aaron Dirks, Chairman, PosiGen; Mr. Chris 
Ferguson, President, Shoulder 2 Shoulder Inc.; Mr. Louis J. 
Celli, Jr., Director, National Legislative Division, The 
American Legion; Mr. Rhett Jeppson, Associate Administrator, 
Office of Veterans Business Development, U.S. Small Business 
Administration; Mr. Robert Rehder, Director, Veterans Business 
Outreach Center (VBOC), Fayetteville State University; Mr. Joe 
Wynn, President, Vets Group, Inc.; Dr. Mike Haynie, Ph.D., 
Executive Director and Founder, Institute for Veterans and 
Military Families, Syracuse University. The Committee met to 
discuss efforts at the local, state, and national level to 
provide entrepreneurship training and business counseling for 
our nation's veterans and returning service members.
    November 20, 2013: Hearing titled ``Affordable Care Act 
Implementation: Examining How to Achieve a Successful Rollout 
of the Small Business Exchanges,'' Senator Landrieu chaired. 
Testimony from Mr. David Allen, President & CEO, David Allen 
Enterprises, LLC; Ms. Sheila A. Salter, Founder & CEO, 
early2surg; Ms. Connie Evans, President & CEO, Association for 
Enterprise Opportunity; Mr. Drew Greenblatt, Owner, Marlin 
Steel Wire Products; Dr. Martin Hickey, MD, CEO, New Mexico 
Health Connections; Ms. Mila Kofman, Executive Director, DC 
Health Benefit Exchange Authority; Mr. William Nold, Deputy 
Executive Director, Office of the Kentucky Health Benefit 
Exchange; The Honorable Phyllis C. Borzi, Assistant Secretary, 
Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor; Mr. Gary Cohen, Deputy Administrator & Director, Center 
for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight, Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Service, U.S. Department of Health & Human 
Services; Ms. Marianne O'Brien Markowitz, Regional 
Administrator, Region V, U.S. Small Business Administration. 
The Committee met to focus on the implementation of the Small 
Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Exchanges under the 
Affordable Care Act (ACA).
    December 18, 2013: Roundtable titled ``SBIR/STTR: Measuring 
the Effectiveness of the Reauthorization Act and Maximizing 
Research Dollars to America's Small Businesses,'' Senator 
Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Mr. Jere Glover, Executive 
Director, Small Business Technology Council; Dr. Dave Green, 
Ph.D., President and CEO, Physical Sciences, Inc.; Mr. Andre 
Gudger, Director, Office of Small Business Programs, U.S. 
Department of Defense; Ms. Jenny Houston, Executive Vice 
President, Warwick Mills; Dr. Mahendra K. Jain, Senior Vice 
President, Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation; Dr. 
Manny Oliver, Director, SBIR/STTR Programs Office, U.S. 
Department of Energy; Mr. Matthew Portnoy, Director, Office of 
Extramural Programs, National Institutes of Health; Ms. Pravina 
Raghavan, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Investment 
and Innovation, U.S. Small Business Administration; Mr. Chris 
Rinaldi, SBIR/STTR Program Administrator, Office of Small 
Business Programs, U.S. Department of Defense; Mr. Frank Rusco, 
Director, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Government 
Accountability Office; Dr. Robert Savoie, CEO, Geocent, LLC; 
Ms. Lisa Sobolewski, SBIR Program Director, U.S. Department of 
Homeland Security; Dr. Charles Wessner, Director, Technology 
Innovation and Entrepreneurship, National Academy of Sciences. 
The Committee met to review the Small Business Administration's 
progress in implementing the provisions of the SBIR/STTR 
Reauthorization Act of 2011, and if the changes are delivering 
the benefits to small businesses and the taxpayers, as 
intended.

                           SECOND SESSION\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\The Committee also held two informal, unofficial events during 
the second session: on May 15, 2014, the Committee hosted a ``Small 
Business Week'' reception honoring 2014 SBA Award Winners, and a coffee 
reception for women entrepreneurs on July 23, 2014, titled ``Women's 
Business Opportunities Reception.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    January 21, 2014: Field Hearing titled ``Fueling America--
Enabling and Empowering Small Businesses to Unleash Domestic 
Production,'' Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from Mr. 
Stephen Comstock, Director, Tax and Accounting Policy, American 
Petroleum Institute; Mr. Lee Jackson, Founder, Jackson Offshore 
Operators; Mr. Stephen Landry, Partner, Ernst & Young 
Accounting; Ms. Gigi Lazenby, Managing Member and CEO, 
Bretagne, LLC; Mr. Joe LeBlanc, Co-Founder and Senior Managing 
Director, PerPetro Energy, LLC; Jennifer Stewart, Vice 
President of Tax, Southwestern Energy. The Committee met to 
better understand capital strategies that independent producers 
employ as small business owners, their role in creating high-
skilled, high-wage jobs for America, and their overall impact 
to our economy.
    February 12, 2014: Joint Hearing with the Special Committee 
on Aging titled ``In Search of a Second Act: The Challenges and 
Advantages of Senior Entrepreneurship,'' Senator Landrieu 
chaired. Testimony from Ms. Conchy Bretos, CEO and Founder, Mia 
Senior Living Solutions; Ms. Elizabeth Isele, Co-Founder, 
Senior Entrepreneurship Works and Founder of 
SavvySeniorsWork.org; Ms. Tameka Montgomery, Associate 
Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development, U.S. 
Small Business Administration; Mr. Ken Yancey, CEO, SCORE 
Association. The Committee met to examine how senior 
entrepreneurship impacts the economy, society, and retirement 
security, why seniors make good entrepreneurs, and what the 
government's role should be in helping older Americans pursue 
entrepreneurship instead of full-time retirement.
    February 12, 2014: Hearing on the nomination of Maria 
Contreras-Sweet to be Administrator at the Small Business 
Administration, Senator Landrieu chaired. Testimony from the 
Honorable Diane Feinstein, United States Senator; Ms. Maria 
Contreras-Sweet, Administrator, United States Small Business 
Administration (Nominee). The Committee met to consider the 
nomination of Maria Contreras-Sweet to be Administrator at the 
Small Business Administration.
    March 5, 2014: Markup for the nomination of Maria 
Contreras-Sweet to be Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration,Senator Cantwell chaired. Reported favorably out 
of Committee by unanimous voice vote.
    April 9, 2014: Hearing on the FY 2015 Budget Request for 
the Small Business Administration, Senator Cantwell chaired. 
Testimony from the Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; the 
Honorable Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General, U.S. Small 
Business Administration; the Honorable Winslow Sargeant, Chief 
Counsel for Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration. The 
Committee met to focus on President Obama's FY 2015 budget 
request for the operation and programs of Small Business 
Administration, as well as for the SBA's Office of Inspector 
General and Office of Advocacy.
    April 16, 2014: Field Hearing titled ``Capital Access for 
Main Street: Meeting Opportunities of Growth along the Lower 
Columbia,'' Senator Cantwell chaired. Testimony from Mr. Mike 
Bomar, Executive Director, Columbia River Economic Development 
Council; Mr. Craig Chance, Senior Vice President, Community 
Financial Resources, Columbia Bank; Ms. Amy O'Hara, Business 
Co-Owner, When the Shoe Fits; Mr. Eric Sawyer, Vice Chair of 
the Board of Directors, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce; 
Mr. Gregg Swanson, Vice President and Chief Lending Officer, 
Evergreen Business Capital; Ms. Jessika Tantisook, Farm Keeper, 
Starvation Alley Farms. The Committee met to hear from small 
businesses and lenders about the economic decline experienced 
by Southwest Washington and Oregon, which were greatly impacted 
by the economic recession. The field hearing also sought to 
better understand the issues facing job creators related to 
access to capital in the region, and to concentrate on ways to 
improve the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 loan 
programs.
    April 24, 2014: Field Hearing titled ``Driving Job Growth: 
Small Business Innovation and Research,'' Senator Cantwell 
chaired. Testimony from the Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Mr. Rob 
Afzal, Lockheed Martin Aculight; Mr. Robert Barry, Co-Founder 
and CEO, Stasys Medical Corporation; Ms. Adriane Brown, 
President and CEO, Intellectual Ventures; Mr. John Neumann, 
Acting Director, and Hilary M. Benedict, Assistant Director, 
U.S. Government Accountability Office; Ms. Linden Rhoads, Vice 
Provost, Center for Commercialization, University of 
Washington; Mr. Russ Weed, UE Technologies. The Committee met 
to hear from microlenders and CDFIs about their work across 
Washington State.
    June 4, 2014: Hearing titled ``From Military Service to 
Small Business Owner: Supporting America's Veterans 
Entrepreneurs,'' Senator Cantwell chaired. Testimony from Ms. 
Julianna Duso, Program Director, Veterans Business Outreach 
Center, U.S. Small Business Administration; Mr. Rhett Jeppson, 
Associate Administrator, Office of Veterans Business 
Development, U.S. Small Business Administration; Mr. Gary 
Multanen, CEO, Best Bath Systems, Inc.; Ms. Trena Payton, 
President, ABN Technologies; Mr. Dan Proulx, Jr. Member 
Manager, Monument Construction, LLC. The Committee met to focus 
on what the current Administration--in concert with the new SBA 
Administrator--is doing to help boost veterans' 
entrepreneurship and small business ownership. They also 
discussed pending legislation aimed at helping veterans' small 
business ownership and entrepreneurial development programs 
within the SBA.
    June 18, 2014: Hearing titled ``Growing Small Business 
Exports, Growing U.S. Jobs,'' Senator Cantwell chaired. 
Testimony from Mr. Mark Calhoon, Senior Managing Director, 
Business Services Division, Washington State Department of 
Commerce; Mr. Robert Campbell, President and CEO, Alliance 
Solutions Group, Inc.; Mr. Eric Hahn, Vice President, 
Organizational Development, General Plastics Manufacturing 
Company; Mr. W. Dan Hendrix, President and CEO, Arkansas World 
Trade Center; Mr. Donald F. Tyler, Director, Corfin Industries, 
LLC; Ms. Jennifer Verdon, Manager of International Business, 
Idaho Commerce Department. The Committee met to discuss ways to 
increase both the number of small businesses that export, and 
the volume of those exports.
    July 23, 2014: Hearing titled ``Empowering Women 
Entrepreneurs: Understanding Success, Addressing Persistent 
Challenges, and Identifying New Opportunities,'' Senator 
Cantwell chaired. Testimony from the Honorable Maria Contreras-
Sweet, Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Ms. 
Barbara Corcoran, Founder, The Corcoran Group & ABC's `SHARK 
TANK'; Ms. Lori Meeder, Senior Loan Officer, Northern 
Initiatives; Ms. Nely Galan, Founder, Galan Entertainment & 
Adelante Movement; Ms. Lynn Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, 
Advantage Building Contractors; Ms. Veronica O. Davis, P.E. 
Partner & Principal Planning Manager, Nspiregreen, LLC; Ms. 
Susan Sylvester, President & Chief Financial Officer, Absolute 
Resource Associates; Ms. Victoria Wortberg, Program Manager, 
Washington Center for Women in Business. The Committee met to 
highlight the success of women entrepreneurs, and to grow 
support for reauthorizing the women's business center program, 
creating parity for the women-owned small business program, and 
giving women business owners better access to capital, in part, 
through microloans.
    August 20, 2014: Roundtable titled ``21st Century 
Challenges and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in the 
Northwest,'' Senator Cantwell chaired. Testimony from Ms. 
Carrie Ferrence, CEO and Co-Founder, Stockbox Neighborhood 
Grocery; Ms. Ollie Garrett, President, Tabor 100; Ms. Julie 
Huston, Executive Vice President, Small Business, U.S. Bank; 
Ms. Barbara Kasoff, President, Women Impacting Public Policy; 
Ms. Susan Preston, General Partner, CalCEF Clean Energy Angel 
Fund; Ms. Karyn Schwartz, Proprietor, SugarPill; Ms. Lee 
Rhodes, Founder, glassybaby. The Committee met in Seattle, 
Washington to discuss a new report issued by the Committee, 
titled 21st Century Barriers to Women's Entrepreneurship. This 
report highlighted the fact that women-owned small businesses 
in Washington state face a larger gender gap than women 
nationwide in access to capital and federal contracting.

                               Oversight

    Letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
Regarding the Proposed Delay of the Implementation of SHOP 
Exchanges: On March 18, 2013, Chair Landrieu issued a letter to 
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, noting 
concern that a delayed implementation of Small Business Health 
Options Program (SHOP) exchanges would deny employees the 
choice of insurance provider, and would increase healthcare 
costs for small businesses.
    Letter to the Secretary of Defense Regarding Concern Over 
the Effect of Sequestration-level Spending on Small Business 
Concerns: On April 1, 2013, Chair Landrieu sent a letter to 
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, to express her concern that 
reduced spending implemented under the Budget Control Act of 
2011 would have a negative impact on small business concerns. 
The Chair asked that implementation of the sequestration-level 
spending not impose a disproportionate share of the burden on 
small businesses, or on federal agencies' small business 
contracting goals.
    Letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regarding 
Proposed Amendments to Secondary Containment and Operator 
Training Regulations: On July 23, 2013, Chair Landrieu and 
Senators Enzi, Fischer, Heitkamp, Johnson, Pryor, Risch, Rubio, 
Scott, Shaheen, and Vitter, sent a letter to EPA Administrator 
Gina McCarthy requesting a Small Business Advocacy Review and 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis in light of predicted 
compliance costs. The letter also noted the significant gap 
between projections by the agency and by industry experts.
    Letter to the Secretary of the Navy Regarding SBIR Outreach 
and Commercialization, and the Navy's Opportunity Forum: On 
July 26, 2013, Chair Landrieu sent a letter to Secretary of the 
U.S. Navy Ray Mabus, urging the approval of the annual Navy 
Opportunity Forum. The Chair stated that the Forum has served 
as one of the most popular and effective ways that small 
businesses have found government or private-sector partners to 
advance and commercialize their innovations developed through 
the SBIR and STTR programs.
    Letter to the Environmental Protection Agency Regarding 
Proposed Revisions to Underground Storage Tank Regulations for 
Small Businesses: On August 2, 2013, Senator Tom Harkin sent a 
letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy noting concern about 
the large discrepancy in estimated compliance costs for small 
businesses that were reported by the EPA compared to small 
business sources. Senator Harkin expressed his hope that the 
EPA would further review the effects of the regulation given 
the differing figures.
    Letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
Regarding Proposed Revisions to Underground Storage Tank 
Regulations for Small Businesses: On August 6, 2013, Senators 
Levin and Hagan sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina 
McCarthy asking for a review of the proposed regulation 
revision, due to a large discrepancy in estimated compliance 
costs for small businesses between EPA and small business 
experts.
    Letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
Regarding the HHPPS Proposed Implementation of Home Health 
Payment Rebasing: On September 17, 2013, Chair Landrieu issued 
a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius noting concern that 
the maximum allowable rebasing adjustment between 2014 and 2017 
would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries and negatively 
affect small business healthcare providers that often work in 
medically underserved areas.
    Letter to the Acting Administrator of the U.S. Small 
Business Administration Regarding a Request to Re-Open the 
Comment Period for the Commercialization Benchmark: On 
September 18, 2013, Chair Landrieu sent a letter to Acting 
Administrator of the SBA Jeanne Hulit, to thank her and her 
staff for working on the Chair's request to re-open the comment 
period for the Commercialization Benchmark for the SBIR and 
STTR programs. The Chair expressed that many in the small 
business community had asked for more time to review the 
proposed benchmark, time the Chair believed was important, to 
ensure that the benchmark fairly evaluated SBIR and STTR firms.
    Letter to the Secretary of Defense Regarding Coordination 
of the SBIR Program with the EPSCoR and IDeA Programs: On 
September 18, 2013, Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch, and 
Congressman Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, sent a letter to 
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, to express their approval 
that leaders of the DoD SBIR program had met with 
representatives from EPSCoR/IDeA states to identify the best 
ways to collaborate and leverage the SBIR program in those 
areas of the country.
    Letter to the Department of the Treasury Regarding Employer 
Shared Responsibility Provisions of the Affordable Care Act: On 
December 20, 2013, Chair Landrieu and Senators Hagan, Heitkamp, 
Markey, Pryor, and Shaheen sent a letter to Treasury Secretary 
Lew, requesting that specific regulatory flexibility of six 
months to a year be given to ``In-Transition Small Businesses'' 
that had recently passed 50 employees, but did not have enough 
time to plan for providing health coverage the next year. The 
letter noted that such flexibility was within the spirit of the 
bill passed by Congress.
    Letter to the Secretary of Labor Regarding the Extension of 
the Comment Period for Proposed OSHA Rule: On January 6, 2014, 
Chair Landrieu sent a letter to Secretary Thomas Perez, U.S. 
Department of Labor, requesting that the comment period for a 
proposed OSHA rule (``Occupational Exposure to Respirable 
Crystalline Silica'' rule, or the ``Silica Rule'') be extended. 
This extension was originally requested by Dr. Winslow 
Sargeant, Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business 
Administration's Office of Advocacy, to allow small businesses 
and their representatives adequate time to evaluate and assess 
the impact of the Silica Rule.
    Letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of a Senate 
Appropriations Subcommittee Regarding Funding for the Small 
Business Administration's Microloan Program: On April 10, 2014, 
Chairwoman Cantwell was joined by Senators Stabenow, Levin, 
Gillibrand, Hagan, Leahy, Shaheen, Markey, Warren, Franken, 
Walsh, Schumer, Baldwin, Murphy, Durbin, Heinrich, Boxer, 
Blumenthal, King, Landrieu, Klobuchar, and Tester, in signing a 
letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Financial 
Services and General Government Subcommittee of the 
Appropriations Committee, Senators Tom Udall and Mike Johanns. 
The signers of the letter requested that the SBA's Microloan 
Program be reauthorized and adequately funded for FY 2015.
    Letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of a Senate 
Appropriations Subcommittee Regarding Funding for the Small 
Business Administration's 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program: On April 
10, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell and Ranking Member Risch were 
joined by Senators Landrieu, Levin, Shaheen, Markey, Baldwin, 
Cardin, Franken, Hirono, Murphy, Leahy, Warren, Schatz, Boxer, 
Schumer, Brown, and Booker, in signing a letter to the Chairman 
and Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General 
Government Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, 
Senators Tom Udall and Mike Johanns. The signers of the letter 
requested that the SBA's 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program be 
reauthorized and adequately funded for FY 2015.
    Letter to the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business 
Administration and to the Associate Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration's Office of Investment & Innovation 
Regarding the SBIC Program: On April 10, 2014, Chairwoman 
Cantwell along with Senators Landrieu and Booker, sent a letter 
to SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet and Office of 
Investment & Innovation Associate Administrator Javier Saade. 
The signers of the letter expressed their concern that the SBIR 
program may not be adequately reaching many qualified minority- 
and women-owned small businesses. They requested that the SBA 
make a commitment to boosting participation rates among 
minority- and women-owned businesses in the program, as well as 
to increasing diversity among fund managers.
    Letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of a Senate 
Appropriations Subcommittee Regarding Funding for the Small 
Business Administration's State Trade and Export Promotion 
(STEP) Grant Program: On April 11, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell 
was joined by Senators Landrieu, Shaheen, Hagan, Whitehouse, 
Klobuchar, Heitkamp, Reed, Cardin, Murphy, Merkley, Schumer, 
Kaine, Blumenthal, Leahy, Wyden, Schatz, Franken, and Hirono, 
in signing a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the 
Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee of the 
Appropriations Committee, Senators Tom Udall and Mike Johanns. 
The signers of the letter requested that the SBA authorize and 
fund the STEP grant program for FY 2015.
    Letter to the Government Accountability Office Regarding 
Chairwoman Cantwell's Status as a Requester for Two GAO 
Evaluations Made by Chair Landrieu: On May 15, 2014, Chairwoman 
Cantwell sent a letter to GAO Comptroller Gene Dodaro asking to 
become a requester for GAO evaluations of both the SBA's Women-
Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program, and the 
Underutilized Business Zone Program, which had been requested 
by Senator Landrieu in her capacity as Chair of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
    Letter to the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate 
Appropriations Committee Regarding the Repeal of Section 811 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011: on 
May 16, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell sent a letter to Defense 
Subcommittee Chair Richard Durbin, expressing support for a 
letter sent by Senators Begich and Tester. Chairwoman Cantwell 
expressed her concern over the decline of sole source contracts 
given to small businesses by the Department of Defense, as well 
as the negative impact that section 811 has had on Native 
American communities.
    Letter to the Environmental Protection Agency Regarding the 
Definition of ``Waters of the United States'' under the Clean 
Water Act: On June 6, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell and Ranking 
Member Risch sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy 
and Major General John Peabody, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
asking that the comment period for the proposed rule change be 
extended to 180 days. Further, they requested a Small Business 
Advocacy Review panel to collect data and consider input before 
implementing the rule to better ascertain expected costs to 
small businesses.
    Letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration Regarding 
the ScaleUp America Entrepreneurship Training Program: On 
August 12, 2014, Senator Cantwell sent a letter to SBA 
Associate Administrator Tameka Montgomery, Office of 
Entrepreneurial Development, in support of Thurston Economic 
Development Council Business Resource Center's application to 
the ScaleUp program, requesting the Office of Entrepreneurial 
Development's full consideration.
    Letter to the US Senate Regarding the Announcement of Small 
Business Saturday: On September 10, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell 
and Ranking Member Risch sent a letter to their colleagues to 
inform them that November 29, 2014 had been designated Small 
Business Saturday, and to express support for the belief in the 
fundamental importance of small businesses for the American 
economy.
    Letter to the Financial Services and General Government 
Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee Regarding 
Continuing Resolution or Omnibus Appropriations for Small 
Business: On September 22, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell sent a 
letter to Subcommittee Chairman Tom Udall, asking that the 
State Trade and Export Program be made permanent to encourage 
small business exports. Further, the Chairwoman expressed her 
thanks for adjustments to the SBA microloan program, as well as 
asking for support to reauthorize, improve, and fund the 
Intermediary Lending Program.
    Letter to the Office of Management and Budget Regarding the 
Small Business Administration's Delay or Halting of Funds, per 
their Determination of the Anti-Deficiency Act: On September 
24, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell, Ranking Member Risch, and 
Senators Schatz and Hirono, sent a letter to OMB General 
Counsel Geovette Washington, Esq. to raise concerns about the 
SBA's selective approach to delaying or halting loans approved 
under the 504 program. Due to the SBA's decision to not 
uniformly enforce its determination that employees might be in 
violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA), loan programs 
operating through other Federal agencies may also be affected, 
thus harming small businesses.
    Letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of a Senate 
Appropriations Subcommittee Regarding Funding for the Small 
Business Administration's Intermediary Lending Program: On 
November 21, 2014, Chairwoman Cantwell was joined by Senators 
Levin, Booker, Merkley, Walsh, Harkin, and Casey, in signing a 
letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Financial 
Services and General Government Subcommittee of the 
Appropriations Committee, Senators Tom Udall and Mike Johanns. 
The signers of the letter requested that the SBA's Intermediary 
Lending Program (ILP) be reauthorized, improved, and adequately 
funded for FY 2015.

       Rules for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and 
                Entrepreneurship for the 113th Congress


                      (Adopted February 13, 2013)


                              JURISDICTION

    Per Rule XXV(1) of the Standing Rules of the Senate:
    (o)(1) Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to 
which committee shall be referred all proposed legislation, 
messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to 
the Small Business Administration;
    (2) Any proposed legislation reported by such committee 
which relates to matters other than the functions of the Small 
Business Administration shall, at the request of the chairman 
of any standing committee having jurisdiction over the subject 
matter extraneous to the functions of the Small Business 
Administration, be considered and reported by such standing 
committee prior to its consideration by the Senate; and 
likewise measures reported by other committees directly 
relating to the Small Business Administration shall, at the 
request of the Chair of the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship, be referred to the Committee on Small 
Business and Entrepreneurship for its consideration of any 
portion of the measure dealing with the Small Business 
Administration and be reported by this committee prior to its 
consideration by the Senate.
    (3) Such committee shall also study and survey by means of 
research and investigation all problems of American small 
business enterprises, and report thereon from time to time.

                            GENERAL SECTION

    All applicable provisions of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate, the Senate Resolutions, and the Legislative 
Reorganization Acts of 1946 and of 1970 (as amended), shall 
govern the Committee.

                                MEETINGS

    (a) The regular meeting day of the Committee shall be the 
first Thursday of each month unless otherwise directed by the 
Chair. All other meetings may be called by the Chair as he or 
she deems necessary, on 5 business days' notice where 
practicable. If at least three Members of the Committee desire 
the Chair to call a special meeting, they may file in the 
office of the Committee a written request therefore, addressed 
to the Chair. Immediately thereafter, the Clerk of the 
Committee shall notify the Chair of such request. If, within 3 
calendar days after the filing of such request, the Chair fails 
to call the requested special meeting, which is to be held 
within 7 calendar days after the filing of such request, a 
majority of the Committee Members may file in the Office of the 
Committee their written notice that a special Committee meeting 
will be held, specifying the date, hour and place thereof, and 
the Committee shall meet at that time and place. Immediately 
upon the filing of such notice, the Clerk of the Committee 
shall notify all Committee Members that such special meeting 
will be held and inform them of its date, hour and place. If 
the Chair is not present at any regular, additional or special 
meeting or hearing, such member of the Committee as the Chair 
shall designate shall preside. For any meeting or hearing of 
the Committee, the Ranking Member may delegate to any Minority 
Member the authority to serve as Ranking Member, and that 
Minority Member shall be afforded all the rights and 
responsibilities of the Ranking Member for the duration of that 
meeting or hearing. Notice of any designation shall be provided 
to the Chief Clerk as early as practicable.
    (b) It shall not be in order for the Committee to consider 
any amendment in the first degree proposed to any measure under 
consideration by the Committee unless an electronic copy of 
such amendment has been delivered to the Clerk of the Committee 
at least 2 business days prior to the meeting. Following 
receipt of all amendments, the Clerk shall disseminate the 
amendments to all Members of the Committee. This subsection may 
be waived by agreement of the Chair and Ranking Member or by a 
majority vote of the members of the Committee.

                                QUORUMS

    (a)(1) A majority of the Members of the Committee shall 
constitute a quorum for reporting any legislative measure or 
nomination.
    (2) One-third of the Members of the Committee shall 
constitute a quorum for the transaction of routine business, 
provided that one Minority Member is present. The term 
``routine business'' includes, but is not limited to, the 
consideration of legislation pending before the Committee and 
any amendments thereto, and voting on such amendments, and 
steps in an investigation including, but not limited to, 
authorizing the issuance of a subpoena.
    (3) In hearings, whether in public or closed session, a 
quorum for the asking of testimony, including sworn testimony, 
shall consist of one Member of the Committee. (b) Proxies will 
be permitted in voting upon the business of the Committee. A 
Member who is unable to attend a business meeting may submit a 
proxy vote on any matter, in writing, or through oral or 
written personal instructions to a Member of the Committee or 
staff. Proxies shall in no case be counted for establishing a 
quorum.

                              NOMINATIONS

    In considering a nomination, the Committee shall conduct an 
investigation or review of the nominee's experience, 
qualifications, suitability, and integrity to serve in the 
position to which he or she has been nominated. In any hearings 
on the nomination, the nominee shall be called to testify under 
oath on all matters relating to his or her nomination for 
office. To aid in such investigation or review, each nominee 
may be required to submit a sworn detailed statement including 
biographical, financial, policy, and other information which 
the Committee may request. The Committee may specify which 
items in such statement are to be received on a confidential 
basis.

                                HEARINGS

    (a)(1) The Chair of the Committee may initiate a hearing of 
the Committee on his or her authority or upon his or her 
approval of a request by any Member of the Committee. If such 
request is by the Ranking Member, a decision shall be 
communicated to the Ranking Member within 7 business days. 
Written notice of all hearings, including the title, a 
description of the hearing, and a tentative witness list shall 
be given at least 5 business days in advance, where 
practicable, to all Members of the Committee.
    (2) Hearings of the Committee shall not be scheduled 
outside the District of Columbia unless specifically authorized 
by the Chair and the Ranking Minority Member or by consent of a 
majority of the Committee. Such consent may be given 
informally, without a meeting, but must be in writing.
    (b)(1) Any Member of the Committee shall be empowered to 
administer the oath to any witness testifying as to fact.
    (2) The Chair and Ranking Member shall be empowered to call 
an equal number of witnesses to a Committee hearing. Subject to 
Senate Standing Rule 26(4)(d), such number shall exclude any 
Administration witness unless such witness would be the sole 
hearing witness, in which case the Ranking Member shall be 
entitled to invite one witness. The preceding two sentences 
shall not apply when a witness appears as the nominee. 
Interrogation of witnesses at hearings shall be conducted on 
behalf of the Committee by Members of the Committee or such 
Committee staff as is authorized by the Chair or Ranking 
Minority Member.
    (3) Witnesses appearing before the Committee shall file 
with the Clerk of the Committee a written statement of the 
prepared testimony at least two business days in advance of the 
hearing at which the witness is to appear unless this 
requirement is waived by the Chair and the Ranking Minority 
Member.
    (c) Any witness summoned to a public or closed hearing may 
be accompanied by counsel of his or her own choosing, who shall 
be permitted while the witness is testifying to advise the 
witness of his or her legal rights. Failure to obtain counsel 
will not excuse the witness from appearing and testifying.
    (d) Subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses or the 
production of memoranda, documents, records, and other 
materials may be authorized by the Chair with the consent of 
the Ranking Minority Member or by the consent of a majority of 
the Members of the Committee. Such consent may be given 
informally, without a meeting, but must be in writing. The 
Chair may subpoena attendance or production without the consent 
of the Ranking Minority Member when the Chair has not received 
notification from the Ranking Minority Member of disapproval of 
the subpoena within 72 hours of being notified of the intended 
subpoena, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Subpoenas 
shall be issued by the Chair or by the Member of the Committee 
designated by him or her. A subpoena for the attendance of a 
witness shall state briefly the purpose of the hearing and the 
matter or matters to which the witness is expected to testify. 
A subpoena for the production of memoranda, documents, records, 
and other materials shall identify the papers or materials 
required to be produced with as much particularity as is 
practicable.
    (e) The Chair shall rule on any objections or assertions of 
privilege as to testimony or evidence in response to subpoenas 
or questions of Committee Members and staff in hearings.
    (f) Testimony may be submitted to the formal record for a 
period not less than two weeks following a hearing or 
roundtable, unless otherwise agreed to by Chair and Ranking 
Member.

                        CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

    (a) No confidential testimony taken by, or confidential 
material presented to, the Committee in executive session, or 
any report of the proceedings of a closed hearing, or 
confidential testimony or material submitted pursuant to a 
subpoena, shall be made public, either in whole or in part or 
by way of summary, unless authorized by a majority of the 
Members. Other confidential material or testimony submitted to 
the Committee may be disclosed if authorized by the Chair with 
the consent of the Ranking Member.
    (b) Persons asserting confidentiality of documents or 
materials submitted to the Committee offices shall clearly 
designate them as such on their face. Designation of 
submissions as confidential does not prevent their use in 
furtherance of Committee business.

                         MEDIA AND BROADCASTING

    (a) At the discretion of the Chair, public meetings of the 
Committee may be televised, broadcasted, or recorded in whole 
or in part by a member of the Senate Press Gallery or an 
employee of the Senate. Any such person wishing to televise, 
broadcast, or record a Committee meeting must request approval 
of the Chair by submitting a written request to the Committee 
Office by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting. Notice of 
televised or broadcasted hearings shall be provided to the 
Ranking Minority Member as soon as practicable. (b) During 
public meetings of the Committee, any person using a camera, 
microphone, or other electronic equipment may not position or 
use the equipment in a way that interferes with the seating, 
vision, or hearing of Committee members or staff on the dais, 
or with the orderly process of the meeting.

                             SUBCOMMITTEES

    The Committee shall not have standing subcommittees.

                           AMENDMENT OF RULES

    The foregoing rules may be added to, modified or amended; 
provided, however, that not less than a majority of the entire 
Membership so determined at a regular meeting with due notice, 
or at a meeting specifically called for that purpose.

  Staff of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship


                       BEGINNING OF FIRST SESSION

    Jane L. Campbell, Democratic Staff Director\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Jane Campbell served as Staff Director until May 12, 2014, at 
which point Jonathan Hale assumed the position.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Skiffington E. Holderness, Republican Staff Director

    Democratic Staffers: 
    Caroline Bruckner, General Counsel
    Krystal Brumfield, Tax Procurement Counsel
    Kristen Bushnell, Executive Assistant to the Staff 
Director, Research Analyst
    David Gillers, Counsel
    Christina Jones, Staff Assistant
    Ross Nodurft, Senior Research Analyst
    Claire O'Rourke, Professional Staff Member
    Irma Palmer, Press Secretary
    Ruda Pollard, Staff Assistant
    Ami Sanchez, Counsel
    Rob Sawicki, Communications Director
    Ashley Scott, Professional Staff Member
    Jim Simpson, Policy Correspondent, Legislative Aide
    Brian van Hook, Policy Director
    Kevin Wheeler, Deputy Staff Director
    Afton Zaunbrecher, Policy Correspondent, Legislative Aide

    Republican Staffers: 
    Tara Crumb, Staff Assistant
    James Gelfand, Counsel
    Wally Hsueh, Deputy Staff Director
    Shelley New, Research Analyst
    Adam Reece, Senior Professional Staff
    Meredith West, Senior Professional Staff

    Non-Designated Staffers:
    Derek Pangallo, Systems Administrator
    Lena Postanowicz, Chief Clerk

 Staff of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship*


                      CONCLUSION OF SECOND SESSION

    Jonathan S. Hale, Democratic Staff Director
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \*\The following individuals also served as staff on the Committee. 
However, as their period of employment began after the start of the 
113th Congress, and concluded before its end, they are not listed 
above:
    Christie Herman, Staff Assistant (Republican Staff)
    Shadawn Reddick-Smith, Press Assistant, Policy Correspondent 
(Democratic Staff)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Skiffington E. Holderness, Republican Staff Director

    Democratic Staffers: 
    Jane Campbell, Senior Advisor
    John Fogarty, Research Analyst
    Rosemary Gutierrez, Senior Advisor
    Ami Sanchez, Counsel
    Carl Seip, Policy Advisor
    Nick Sutter, Professional Staff Member
    Kevin Wheeler, Deputy Staff Director
    Alison Mueller, Detailee, Small Business Administration
    Charlene van Dijk, Detailee, Department of the Treasury

    Republican Staffers:
    Christina Aizcorbe, Counsel
    Kristen Granchelli, Professional Staff
    Wally Hsueh, Deputy Staff Director
    Adam Reece, Senior Professional Staff
    Eleni Valanos, Staff Assistant
    Meredith West, Senior Professional Staff

    Non-Designated Staffers:
    Ruda Pollard, Deputy Clerk, Systems Administrator
    Lena Postanowicz, Chief Clerk
    Katie Rodihan, Staff Assistant, Researcher

                 Legislation Referred to the Committee

    S. 196, a bill to assure equity in contracting between the 
Federal Government and small business concerns, and for other 
purposes. Mr. Udall of New Mexico. Jan 31, 2013.
    S. 206, a bill to expand the HUBZone program for 
communities affected by base realignment and closure, and for 
other purposes. Ms. Collins. Jan 31, 2013.
    S. 259, a bill to assure equity in contracting between the 
Federal Government and small business concerns, and for other 
purposes. Mr. Udall of New Mexico. Feb 7, 2013.
    S. 289, a bill to extend the low-interest refinancing 
provisions under the Local Development Business Loan Program of 
the Small Business Administration. Ms. Landrieu. Feb 12, 2013.
    S. 415, a bill to clarify the collateral requirement for 
certain loans under section 7(d) of the Small Business Act, to 
address assistance to out-of-State small business concerns, and 
for other purposes. Ms. Landrieu. Feb 28, 2013.
    S. 511, a bill to amend the Small Business Investment Act 
of 1958 to enhance the Small Business Investment Company 
Program, and for other purposes. Ms. Landrieu. Mar 11, 2013.
    S. 535, a bill to require a study and report by the Small 
Business Administration regarding the costs to small business 
concerns of Federal regulations. Mr. Rubio. Mar 12, 2013.
    S. 537, a bill to require the Small Business Administration 
to make information relating to lenders making covered loans 
publicly available, and for other purposes. Ms. Landrieu. Mar 
12, 2013.
    S. 550, a bill to amend the Small Business Investment Act 
of 1958 to provide for increased limitations on leverage for 
multiple licenses under common control, and for other purposes. 
Mr. Risch. Mar 13, 2013.
    S. 936, a bill to increase oversight of small business 
assistance programs provided by the Small Business 
Administration. Mr. Heller. May 14, 2013.
    S. 1190, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to permit 
agencies to count certain contracts toward contracting goals. 
Mr. Enzi. Jun 19, 2013.
    S. 1285, a bill to amend the Small Business Investment Act 
of 1958 to enhance the Small Business Investment Company 
Program and provide for a small business early-stage investment 
program. Ms. Baldwin. Jul 11, 2013.
    S. 1440, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to allow 
the use of physical damage disaster loans for the construction 
of safe rooms. Ms. Landrieu. Aug 1, 2013.
    S. 1454, a bill to authorize the Small Business 
Administrator to establish a grant program to empower encore 
entrepreneurs. Ms. Landrieu. Aug 1, 2013.
    S. 1607, a bill to provide conformity in Native small 
business opportunities and promote job creation, manufacturing, 
and American economic recovery. Mr. Schatz. Oct 29, 2013.
    S. 2008, a bill to strengthen resources for entrepreneurs 
by improving the SCORE program, and for other purposes. Ms. 
Landrieu. Feb 10, 2014.
    S. 2143, a bill to increase access to capital for veteran 
entrepreneurs to help create jobs. Mrs. Shaheen. Mar 13, 2014.
    S. 2334, a bill to amend the Small Business Act and title 
38, United States Code, to provide for a consolidated 
definition of a small business concern owned and controlled by 
veterans, and for other purposes. Mr. King. May 14, 2014.
    S. 2396, a bill to establish the veterans' business 
outreach center program, to improve the programs for veterans 
of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes. 
Mr. Pryor. May 22, 2014.
    S. 2481, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to provide 
authority for sole source contracts for certain small business 
concerns owned and controlled by women, and for other purposes. 
Mrs. Shaheen. Jun 17, 2014.
    S. 2487, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to increase 
the maximum loan limits under the microloan program, and for 
other purposes. Mrs. Fischer. Jun 18, 2014.
    S. 2551, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to 
establish the Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer 
Grant Program. Mrs. Gillibrand. Jun 26, 2014.
    S. 2582, a bill to establish a pilot program to assist in 
expanding and diversifying the business of small business 
concerns that rely on amounts awarded for Federal contracts and 
subcontracts. Mr. Udall of New Mexico. Jul 10, 2014.
    S. 2637, a bill to modify the small business intermediary 
lending program. Mr. Levin. Jul 22, 2014.
    S. 2693, a bill to reauthorize the women's business center 
program of the Small Business Administration, and for other 
purposes. Ms. Cantwell. Jul 30, 2014.
    S. 2794, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to direct 
the task force of the Office of Veterans Business Development 
to provide access to and manage the distribution of overseas 
excess or surplus property to veteran-owned small businesses. 
Mr. Durbin. Sep 11, 2014.
    S. 2850, a bill to amend the Small Business Act to create a 
program to provide funding for organizations that support 
startup businesses in formation and early growth stages by 
providing entrepreneurs with resources and services to produce 
viable businesses, and for other purposes. Mr. Booker. Sep 17, 
2014.
    S. Res. 39, an original resolution authorizing expenditures 
by the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship for 
March 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013. Ms. Landrieu. Feb 25, 
2013.
    S. Res. 235, an original resolution authorizing 
expenditures by the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship for October 1, 2013, through September 30, 
2014, and October 1, 2014, through February 28, 2015. Ms. 
Landrieu. Sep 17, 2013.

                                  [all