[House Report 118-470]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


118th Congress }                                            { Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session    }                                            { 118-470

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



 
         ENTREPRENEURS WITH DISABILITIES REPORTING ACT OF 2024

                                _______
                                

 April 26, 2024.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Williams of Texas, from the Committee on Small Business, submitted 
                             the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 7985]

    The Committee on Small Business, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R. 7985) to require the Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration to submit to Congress a report on the 
entrepreneurial challenges facing entrepreneurs with a 
disability, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that 
the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
   I. Purpose and Bill Summary........................................2
  II. Need for Legislation............................................2
 III. Hearings........................................................2
  IV. Committee Consideration.........................................2
   V. Committee Votes.................................................2
  VI. Section-by-Section of H.R. 7985.................................5
 VII. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.......................5
VIII. New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditure5
  IX. Oversight Findings & Recommendations............................5
   X. Performance Goals and Objectives................................5
  XI. Statement of Duplication of Federal Programs....................6
 XII. Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
      Benefits........................................................6
XIII. Federal Mandates Statement......................................6
 XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement............................6
  XV. Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................6
 XVI. Statement of Constitutional Authority...........................6
XVII. Minority Views..................................................7

                      I. PURPOSE AND BILL SUMMARY

    On April 15, 2024, Rep. McGarvey, along with Rep. Molinaro 
introduced H.R. 7985. The purpose of H.R. 7985, the 
``Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act of 2024,'' is 
to require the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) to submit a report to Congress on the 
challenges facing entrepreneurs with disabilities.

                        II. NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
there are nearly 50 programs spread across nine Federal 
agencies that support employment for individuals with 
disabilities. Navigating the federal bureaucracy can be a 
challenge for anyone, but it is particularly challenging for 
disabled entrepreneurs who are forced to scour 50 different 
programs when looking for assistance in starting a business.
    The Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act of 2024 
requires the SBA to report to Congress regarding the challenges 
that disabled individuals face when starting a business. In 
doing so, the SBA would be required to review what resources 
the federal government already provides to entrepreneurs with 
disabilities. Furthermore, the SBA is required to recommend how 
these programs can be streamlined and improved.

                             III. HEARINGS

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee held one hearing 
examining the issues covered in H.R. 7985. On January 30, 2024, 
the Committee held a hearing titled ``Pathways to Success: 
Supporting Entrepreneurs and Employees with Disabilities'' 
which examined the role entrepreneurs and employees with 
disabilities play in the workforce and discussed ways to 
empower them in the workplace.

                      IV. COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    The Committee on Small Business met in open session, with a 
quorum being present, on April 17, 2024 and ordered H.R. 7985 
reported to the House of Representatives. During the markup no 
amendments were offered.

                           V. COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the recorded 
votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments 
thereto. The Committee voted to favorably report H.R. 7985 to 
the House of Representatives at 11:52 AM.


                  VI. SECTION-BY-SECTION OF H.R. 7985

Section 1--Short title

    This bill may be cited as the ``Entrepreneurs with 
Disabilities Reporting Act of 2024.''

Section 2--Report on entrepreneurship challenges of entrepreneurs with 
        disabilities

    Within 180 days, the SBA Administrator must issue a report 
to Congress on the challenges entrepreneurs with disabilities 
face when starting and operating a business, resources, 
support, and outreach the SBA provides to these individuals, a 
description of joint efforts with other federal agencies to 
address these needs, deficiencies in these resources, and 
recommendations for legislative actions to address the 
challenges entrepreneurs with disabilities face.
    This section does not authorize additional appropriations 
for this bill.

             VII. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of House rule XIII, the 
Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The Committee has 
requested but not received from the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office a cost estimate for the Committee's 
provisions. Once available, the cost estimate will be published 
in the Congressional Record.

           VIII. NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY,
                          AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives and section 308(a)(I) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following opinion and estimate with respect to new budget 
authority, entitlement authority, and tax expenditures. While 
the Committee has not received an estimate of new budget 
authority contained in the cost estimate prepared by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to Sec. 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee does 
not believe that there will be any additional costs 
attributable to this legislation. H.R. 7985 does not direct new 
spending, but instead reallocates funding independently 
authorized and appropriated.

                IX. OVERSIGHT FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

    In accordance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause 
2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, 
the oversight findings and recommendations of the Committee on 
Small Business with respect to the subject matter contained in 
H.R. 7985 are incorporated into the descriptive portions of 
this report.

                  X. PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
performance goals and objectives of H.R. 7985 are to require a 
report from SBA to Congress on the challenges facing 
entrepreneurs with disabilities and the variety of resources 
available across the federal government.

            XI. STATEMENT OF DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, no provision of H.R. 7985 is known to 
be duplicative of another Federal program, including any 
program that was included in a report to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance.

           XII. CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS,
                      AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS

    With respect to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the bill 
does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax 
benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 
9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives.

                    XIII. FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

               XIV. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                XV. APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               XVI. STATEMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY

    Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII of the Rules of the House, 
the Committee finds that the authority for this legislation in 
Art. I, Sec. 8, cl.1 of the Constitution of the United States.

                          XVII. MINORITY VIEWS

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 44.1 
million Americans are individuals with disabilities.\1\ 
Individuals with disabilities are a highly diverse group. They 
include people with physical disabilities, such as vision or 
hearing impairments and chronic conditions, and mental or 
developmental disabilities, such as attention deficit 
hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and Down 
syndrome. Furthermore, individuals born with disabilities have 
different experiences than individuals who acquire disabilities 
later in life. Even with this diversity, it is important to 
ensure that all Americans are duly included and accommodated in 
the workplace and business community.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Table S1810: Disability Characteristics, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 
(2022), https:// data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2022.S1810.
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    However, only 26 percent of people with disabilities 
participate in America's labor force. Yet, they have a higher 
rate of self-employment (17 percent) than non-disabled 
Americans (11 percent). People with disabilities often choose 
entrepreneurship over joining the labor force for several 
reasons, including greater flexibility and inclusion with 
respect to their work scheduling and environment.\2\ In fact, 
there are approximately 1.8 million small businesses owned by 
people with disabilities in the U.S.\3\ Starting and owning a 
small business is a major pathway for all Americans, especially 
people with disabilities, to achieve prosperity--a dynamic 
reflected by the fact that 99.9 percent of American businesses 
are small businesses.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\NAT'L DISABILITY INST., SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP BY PEOPLE WITH 
DISABILITIES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 1-2, 13-14 (Apr. 2022).
    \3\Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, 6 Funding Opportunities for Disabled 
Entrepreneurs, U.S. CHAMBER OF COM. (Nov. 1, 2023), https://
www.uschamber.com/co/run/business-financing/funding-
options-for-disabled-entrepreneurs.
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    Every American deserves the opportunity to contribute to 
society as productive workers and entrepreneurs, and to 
actively improve their quality-of-life. However, ableism and 
other unique structural barriers impede entrepreneurs with 
disabilities from fully participating in the business 
community.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\OFF. OF ADVOCACY, 2023 Small Business Profile: United States, 
U.S. SMALL BUS. ADMIN. 1 (Nov. 14, 2023), https://advocacy.sba.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2023/11/2023-Small-Busi
ness-Economic-Profile-US.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    On January 30, 2024, the Committee's Innovation, 
Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Subcommittee held a 
hearing entitled ``Pathways to Success: Supporting 
Entrepreneurs and Employees with Disabilities.'' The hearing 
focused on the role entrepreneurs and employees with 
disabilities play in the workforce and examined ways to empower 
them. In testimony, Mr. Keith Wargo, President and CEO of 
Autism Speaks reported, ``many individuals with disabilities 
have the skills and desire to work, and hiring neurodiverse 
people benefits the companies they work for, and the overall 
economy.'' He further cited a study that showed ``companies 
that actively seek to hire people with disabilities outperform 
businesses that do not. Their revenues, net income, profit 
margins were all higher. Further analysis revealed that the 
U.S. GDP could get a boost of up to $25 billion if more people 
with disabilities joined the workforce.''
    H.R. 7985 would requires the Small Business Administration 
to submit a report to Congress on the challenges facing 
entrepreneurs with disabilities within 180 days of enactment of 
the legislation.

                                        Nydia M. Velazquez,
                                                    Ranking Member.