[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6349 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6349
To establish grant programs for small business development centers,
women's business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired
Executives in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 23, 2020
Mr. Golden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Small Business
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish grant programs for small business development centers,
women's business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired
Executives in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Continuity of Business Operations
Support Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER GRANTS.
(a) Small Business Development Center Grants.--The Administrator of
the Small Business Administration shall provide grants to small
business development centers for the purposes described in subsection
(b).
(b) Use of Funds.--Grant funds under this section shall be used to
educate, train, and advise owners and employees of small business
concerns on the following matters:
(1) The hazards of and prevention of the transmission and
communication of COVID-19 and similar communicable diseases.
(2) The potential effects to the supply chains,
distribution, and sale of products of the concern, and the
mitigation of such effects, during a period of a public health
emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar
communicable disease.
(3) The management and practice of telework or remote
customer service by electronic or other means to reduce
possible transmission of COVID-19 and other communicable
diseases.
(4) The risks and mitigation of cyber threats in remote
customer service or telework practices.
(5) The mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or
outside activities during a period of a public health emergency
declared because of COVID-19 or a similar communicable disease.
(6) Business continuity plans during a period of a public
health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar
communicable disease.
(7) Any other relevant business practices necessary to
mitigate any economic effects experienced during a period of a
public health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a
similar communicable disease.
(c) Formula.--The Administrator and the association authorized
under section 21(a)(3)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
648(a)(3)(A)) shall jointly establish a formula under which grants
under this section shall be awarded.
(d) Metrics and Goals.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator and the association
described in subsection (c) shall jointly establish goals and
metrics for the use of funds made available under this section.
Such goals and metrics shall--
(A) consider the extent of the circumstances
relating to the spread of COVID-19 or a similar
communicable disease that affect small business
concerns served by each grant recipient, particularly
rural areas or economically distressed areas;
(B) ensure grant recipients comply with the
requirements of subsection (b) while also ensuring that
grant recipients may have flexibility in responding to
unique situations; and
(C) encourage grant recipients to develop and
provide services to small business concerns that are
located in areas substantially affected by COVID-19.
(2) Public availability.--The Administrator shall make
publicly available the methodology by which the Administrator
and the association jointly developed the metrics and goals
described in paragraph (1).
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $75,000,000, to remain available until expended, to the
Administrator to carry out this section.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER AND SERVICE CORPS OF
RETIRED EXECUTIVES GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Small Business
Administration shall provide grants to women's business centers and to
chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives for the purposes
described in subsection (b).
(b) Use of Funds.--Grant funds under this section shall be used to
educate, train, and advise owners and employees of small business
concerns on the following matters:
(1) The hazards of and prevention of the transmission and
communication of COVID-19 and similar communicable diseases.
(2) The potential effects to the supply chains,
distribution, and sale of products of the concern, and the
mitigation of such effects, during a period of a public health
emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar
communicable disease.
(3) The management and practice of telework or remote
customer service by electronic or other means to reduce
possible transmission of COVID-19 and other communicable
diseases.
(4) The risks and mitigation of cyber threats in remote
customer service or telework practices.
(5) The mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or
outside activities during a period of a public health emergency
declared because of COVID-19 or a similar communicable disease.
(6) Business continuity plans during a period of a public
health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar
communicable disease.
(7) Any other relevant business practices necessary to
mitigate any economic effects experienced during a period of a
public health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a
similar communicable disease.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $25,000,000, to remain available until expended, to the
Administrator to carry out this section.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
and annually thereafter until the amounts authorized in section 2(c)
and section 1(e) have been expended, the Administrator shall submit to
the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and
the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a
report that--
(1) describes, with respect to the initial year covered by
the report, the programs and services developed and provided by
the Administrator, small business development centers, women's
business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired
Executives in response to a public health emergency declared
because of COVID-19; and
(2) describes, with respect to the subsequent years covered
by the report--
(A) the efforts of the Administrator, small
business development centers, women's business centers,
and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives
to develop services to assist small business concerns
affected by COVID-19;
(B) the challenges faced by owners of small
business concerns in accessing services provided by the
Administrator, small business development centers,
women's business centers, and chapters of the Service
Corps of Retired Executives in response to a public
health emergency declared because of COVID-19;
(C) the number of unique small business concerns
that were served by the Administrator, small business
development centers, women's business centers, and
chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives
under the programs established by this Act; and
(D) other relevant performance data with respect to
small business concerns affected by COVID-19, including
the number of employees affected, the effect on sales
of the concern, any disruptions of supply chains, and
the efforts made by the Administrator, small business
development centers, women's business centers, and
chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives (as
applicable) to mitigate these effects.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) Service corps of retired executives.--The term
``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' means the Service Corps
of Retired Executives established under section 8(b)(1)(B) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)).
(3) Small business concern.--The term ``small business
concern'' has the meaning given under section 3 of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
(4) Small business development center.--The term ``small
business development center'' has the meaning given in section
3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
(5) Women's business center.--The term ``women's business
center'' means a women's business center as described under
section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656).
<all>