[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9166 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9166

To require the Small Business Administration, the Appalachian Regional 
Commission, and the Delta Regional Authority to enter into an agreement 
to carry out activities to expand rural entrepreneurship, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2024

 Mr. Molinaro (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced 
      the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on 
Small Business, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Small Business Administration, the Appalachian Regional 
Commission, and the Delta Regional Authority to enter into an agreement 
to carry out activities to expand rural entrepreneurship, 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 ``Rural Innovation and Small Business 
Expansion Act'' or the ``RISE Act''.

SEC. 2. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO EXPAND RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
              AND SMALL BUSINESS WITHIN APPALACHIA AND DELTA AREA.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration, the appropriate head of the Appalachian Regional 
Commission, and the appropriate head of the Delta Regional Authority 
(in this section referred to as the ``covered officials'') shall enter 
into a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate agreement to 
carry out activities within the Appalachian region and the Delta 
region, as applicable, to expand rural entrepreneurship and to support 
small business concerns.
    (b) Memorandum of Understanding or Agreement.--The covered 
officials shall carry out and coordinate the activities described in 
subsection (a) by entering into one or more memoranda of understanding 
or other appropriate agreements, as jointly determined by the covered 
officials.
    (c) Inclusion of Small Business Concerns.--In carrying out the 
activities described in subsection (a), the covered officials shall 
ensure the inclusion of small business concerns in such activities, as 
appropriate.
    (d) Other Requirements.--In carrying out the activities described 
in subsection (a), the covered officials may--
            (1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the 
        Appalachian Regional Commission, Delta Regional Authority, the 
        Small Business Administration, and other appropriate entities 
        in order to maximize the effectiveness of activities carried 
        out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in 
        subsection (b); and
            (2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate 
        to carry out such activities.
    (e) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the covered officials shall jointly submit to Congress a 
report on activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement 
described in subsection (b) that includes the following:
            (1) Coordination between the covered officials involved in 
        such activities.
            (2) Potential opportunities to expand the capacity of the 
        Appalachian Regional Commission, Delta Regional Authority, and 
        the Small Business Administration to provide assistance to 
        rural entrepreneurs or small business concerns located within 
        the Appalachian region or Delta region, as applicable.
            (3) Number of rural entrepreneurs or small business 
        concerns assisted through activities carried out pursuant to 
        such memorandum or agreement.
            (4) Areas of future collaboration among the covered 
        officials for the benefit of rural entrepreneurs or small 
        business concerns located within the Appalachian region or 
        Delta region, as applicable.
            (5) Plans of the covered officials to continue coordination 
        on activities described in subsection (a).
    (f) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Appalachian regional commission.--The term 
        ``Appalachian Regional Commission'' means the commission 
        established by section 14301(a) of title 40, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Delta region.--The term ``Delta region'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``region'' in section 382A of the 
        Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa).
            (3) Delta regional authority.--The term ``Delta Regional 
        Authority'' means the entity established under subtitle F of 
        the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
        2009aa et seq.).
            (4) 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).
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