[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6457 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6457
To require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to
establish a grant program to create or expand programs at minority-
serving institutions relating to minority entrepreneurship and business
ownership, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 17, 2023
Ms. Williams of Georgia (for herself, Mr. Evans, Ms. Adams, Mr.
Fitzpatrick, and Mrs. Torres of California) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to
establish a grant program to create or expand programs at minority-
serving institutions relating to minority entrepreneurship and business
ownership, 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 ``Minority Entrepreneurship Grant
Program Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Minority
Entrepreneurship Advisory Board established under section 4(a).
(3) Historically black college or university.--The term
``historically Black college or university'' means a part B
institution, as that term is defined in section 322 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(4) Minority.--The term ``minority'' means an individual
who is--
(A) Black or African American;
(B) Hispanic or Latino;
(C) Native or Indigenous American;
(D) Asian;
(E) Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander;
(F) Native Alaskan; or
(G) a member of a group that the Minority Business
Development Agency of the Department of Commerce
determines under part 1400 of title 15, Code of Federal
Regulations, as in effect on November 23, 1984, is a
socially disadvantaged group eligible to receive
assistance.
(5) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means any of the following types of
institutions:
(A) A historically Black college or university.
(B) A Hispanic-serving institution, as that term is
defined in section 502(a) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)).
(C) A Tribal College or University, as that term is
defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).
(D) An Alaska Native-serving institution, as that
term is defined in section 317(b) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)).
(E) A Native Hawaiian-serving institution, as that
term is defined in section 317(b) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)).
(F) A Predominantly Black Institution, as that term
is defined in section 318(b) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)).
(G) A Native American-serving, nontribal
institution, as that term is defined in section 319(b)
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059f(b)).
(H) An Asian-American and Native American Pacific
Islander-serving institution, as that term is defined
in section 320(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1059g(b)).
(6) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the grant program
established under section 3(a).
(7) Small business concern.--The term ``small business
concern'' has the meaning given the term in section 3(a) of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)).
(8) Student entrepreneur.--The term ``student
entrepreneur'' means a minority student who seeks to establish
or develop a small business concern.
(9) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means
Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development
of the Minority Business Development Agency (established under
section 100002 of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021
(15 U.S.C. 9501)).
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the
Under Secretary, shall establish a grant program within the Small
Business Administration, the purpose of which shall be to create or
expand programs at minority-serving institutions that foster, promote,
and increase programs, initiatives, or opportunities for minority
entrepreneurship and business ownership among student entrepreneurs
enrolled at such a minority-serving institution.
(b) Application Process.--A minority-serving institution seeking a
grant under the Program shall submit to the Administrator an
application that contains a description of--
(1) the need for and proposed use of grant funds to promote
minority entrepreneurship and business ownership among student
entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving institution;
(2) how the programs, initiatives, or opportunities created
or expanded with the grant funds will provide support to
student entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving
institution who--
(A) seek support for an established small business
concern; or
(B) need assistance in establishing a small
business concern; and
(3) how the minority-serving institution will create or
expand programs, initiatives, or opportunities that--
(A) increase minority entrepreneurship and business
ownership among student entrepreneurs enrolled at the
minority-serving institution; and
(B) expand business resources to student
entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving
institution.
(c) Selection.--In selecting grantees under this section, the
Administrator shall evaluate applications from among the same type of
minority-serving institution, as listed in subparagraphs (A) through
(H) of section 2(5).
(d) Amount of Grant.--A grant made to a minority-serving
institution under the Program shall be not less than $250,000.
(e) Use of Grant Funds.--A minority-serving institution that
receives a grant under the Program shall use grant amounts to support
the creation or expansion of programs, initiatives, or opportunities
that offer business development resources that support student
entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving institution, such as--
(1) free legal, accounting, human resources, information
technology, marketing, training, counseling, networking, and
technical assistance; and
(2) access to capital resources, such as the costs
associated with forming a new small business concern.
(f) Submission Requirement.--A minority-serving institution to
which a grant is made under the Program shall, not later than 6 months
and not later than 12 months after receipt of such grant, submit to the
Administrator a report that contains, for the period covered by the
report, the number of--
(1) student entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving
institution assisted with the grant funds;
(2) small business concerns created through the expenditure
of the grant funds, including, with respect to each such
concern--
(A) the name of the concern;
(B) a description of the business of the concern;
and
(C) the amount of grant funds expended in creating
the concern;
(3) student entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving
institution referred to other resources of the Small Business
Administration; and
(4) student entrepreneurs enrolled at the minority-serving
institution participating in programs, initiatives, or
opportunities created or expanded through the expenditure of
the grant funds, disaggregated (to the extent possible) by sex,
race, and ethnicity of the student entrepreneur.
(g) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the date on
which the first grant is made under the Program, and annually
thereafter until September 30, 2028, the Administrator shall submit to
Congress a report that contains information regarding the minority-
serving institutions to which grants were made under the Program for
the period covered by the report, which shall include--
(1) the name of each such minority-serving institution and
the amount of each such grant;
(2) the number of student entrepreneurs assisted with
Program grant funds--
(A) at each minority-serving institution to which a
grant was made under the Program; and
(B) in total under the Program;
(3) the number of small business concerns created through
the expenditure of Program grant funds--
(A) with respect to each minority-serving
institution to which a grant was made under the
Program; and
(B) in total under the Program;
(4) the number of student entrepreneurs referred to
resources of the Small Business Administration--
(A) at each minority-serving institution to which a
grant was made under the Program; and
(B) in total under the Program;
(5) the number of student entrepreneurs participating in
programs, initiatives, or opportunities created or expanded
through the expenditure of Program grant funds, disaggregated
by sex, race, and ethnicity (to the extent possible)--
(A) at each minority-serving institution to which a
grant was made under the Program; and
(B) in total under the Program; and
(6) a statement regarding whether any amounts made
available to carry out this section remain unexpended, as of
the date on which the report is submitted.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2023 through 2028 to carry out this section.
SEC. 4. MINORITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a Minority
Entrepreneurship Advisory Board to develop recommendations regarding
how minority-serving institutions can better serve minority businesses
and entrepreneurs.
(b) Membership of Board.--The members of the Board--
(1) shall be appointed by the Administrator;
(2) shall include one representative from each of--
(A) the United Negro College Fund;
(B) the Thurgood Marshall College Fund;
(C) the National Association for Equal Opportunity
in Higher Education;
(D) the American Indian Higher Education
Consortium;
(E) the Asian and Pacific Islander American
Scholarship Fund;
(F) the National Congress of American Indians; and
(G) the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities; and
(3) shall include additional individuals, as determined by
the Administrator, with--
(A) outstanding qualifications relating to
minority-serving institutions or minority businesses
and entrepreneurs;
(B) knowledge regarding the needs of small business
concerns that are owned by minorities; and
(C) experience--
(i) working with startups; or
(ii) in providing consultation to small
business concerns.
(c) Submission to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to
Congress the recommendations developed by the Board.
(d) Termination.--The Board shall terminate not later than 6 months
after the report required under subsection (c) has been submitted.
(e) Inapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply with respect to the Board or the
activities of the Board.
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