[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1896 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1896
To reauthorize the SCORE program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 8, 2023
Ms. Ernst introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the SCORE program, 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 ``SCORE Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE SCORE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 8 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(i)(II)(aa), by inserting
``with relevant knowledge of modern business
practices'' after ``institutions''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``a Service Corps of
Retired Executives (SCORE) and an Active Corps
of Executive (ACE)'' and inserting ``a
Supporting Coaching Opportunities for Resilient
Entrepreneurs (SCORE) program''; and
(ii) by striking ``SCORE may'' and
inserting ``the SCORE Program may''; and
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) SCORE Program.--
``(1) Cooperative agreement.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of the SCORE Act of 2023, the
Administrator shall enter into a cooperative agreement
with an organization described in subparagraph (B) to
carry out the SCORE program, which shall provide
business coaching to entrepreneurs seeking to form,
grow, scale, or sell their small business concern.
``(B) Eligible organization.--The awardee of the
cooperative agreement under subparagraph (A) shall be
an organization that--
``(i) is well-equipped to provide
fundamental, modern, and relevant business
training and counseling to individuals in both
rural and urban areas; and
``(ii) shall be able to effectively reach
underserved individuals while overseeing the
volunteers participating in the SCORE program.
``(C) Recompete process.--Not later than 5 years
after the date on which the Administrator enters into a
cooperative agreement under subparagraph (A), and every
5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall engage in a
competitive bidding process to enter into a cooperative
agreement with an organization described in
subparagraph (B).
``(2) Administrator duties.--The Administrator shall--
``(A) assist the Office of Inspector General of the
Administration in conducting their audit of the SCORE
program that shall occur once every 3 years; and
``(B) establish a process to certify eligible
coaches under the SCORE program, which shall--
``(i) ensure that the business investments,
affiliations, or connections of a coach do not
present a conflict of interest with any
individual participant that the coach is
actively coaching, as determined by the
National Women's Business Coaches; and
``(ii) determine whether the individual
applying to be a coach has--
``(I) relevant knowledge of modern
business practices, including
accounting, marketing, and hiring
personnel; and
``(II) a general understanding of
the opportunities for growth that the
internet and e-commerce poses for
owners of small business concerns.
``(3) SCORE association duties.--The SCORE Association
shall--
``(A) in addition to providing in-person services,
maintain and expand online counseling services
including webinars, electronic mentoring platforms, e-
commerce, and online toolkits to further support
entrepreneurs; and
``(B) maintain and enforce requirements for
volunteers participating in the SCORE program,
including requirements that--
``(i) each volunteer shall meet the
performance standards established under
subparagraph (C);
``(ii) if a volunteer fails to meet
performance standards, as evaluated through an
annual review, the volunteer shall adhere to a
performance improvement plan for the duration
of 1 year; and
``(iii) if the volunteer continues to fail
to meet performance standards after conducting
a year-long performance improvement plan
described in clause (ii), the volunteer shall
be terminated and dismissed from all
participation in the SCORE program.
``(4) Joint duties.--The Administrator, in consultation
with the SCORE Association, shall ensure that the SCORE program
and each chapter of the SCORE program--
``(A) develop and implement plans and goals to
effectively and efficiently provide services to
individuals in rural areas, including plans for virtual
and web-based initiatives, chapter expansion,
partnerships, and the development of new skills by
volunteers participating in the SCORE program;
``(B) recruit diverse volunteers for the chapters
of the SCORE program, in conjunction with the National
Women's Business Coaches; and
``(C) establish performance standards for all
coaches and employees of the SCORE program.
``(5) GAO study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of the SCORE Act of 2023, the Comptroller General of
the United States shall--
``(A) conduct a study to identify how many SCORE
program chapters are located in rural areas and
understand how well the SCORE program is servicing
rural areas;
``(B) examine the efficacy of performance standards
established under paragraph (3)(C); and
``(C) 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
on the matters described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
``(6) Reauthorization.--The SCORE program shall sunset on
the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of the
SCORE Act of 2023, and shall be subject to reauthorization
thereafter.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Small business act.--The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
631 et seq.) is amended--
(A) in section 3 (15 U.S.C. 632), by adding at the
end the following:
``(gg) SCORE Program Definitions.--In this Act:
``(1) SCORE program.--The term `SCORE program' means the
Supporting Coaching Opportunities for Resilient Entrepreneurs
program described in section 8(c).
``(2) SCORE association.--The term `SCORE Association'
means the Supporting Coaching Opportunities for Resilient
Entrepreneurs Association or any successor or other
organization that enters into a cooperative agreement described
in section 8(c)(1) with the Administrator to operate the SCORE
program.'';
(B) in section 7 (15 U.S.C. 636)--
(i) in subsection (b)(12)--
(I) in the paragraph heading, by
striking ``score'' and inserting
``SCORE program''; and
(II) in subparagraph (A), by
striking ``Service Corps of Retired
Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE
program''; and
(ii) in subsection (m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII), by
striking ``Service Corps of Retired
Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE program'';
(C) in section 20(d)(1)(E) (15 U.S.C. 631 note), by
striking ``Service Corps of Retired Executives
program'' and inserting ``SCORE program''; and
(D) in section 22 (15 U.S.C. 649)--
(i) in subsection (b)--
(I) in paragraph (1), by striking
``Service Corps of Retired Executives
authorized by section (8)(b)(1)'' and
inserting ``SCORE program''; and
(II) in paragraph (3), by striking
``Service Corps of Retired Executives''
and inserting ``SCORE program''; and
(ii) in subsection (c)(12), by striking
``Service Corps of Retired Executives
authorized by section 8(b)(1)'' and inserting
``SCORE program''.
(2) Other laws.--
(A) Small business reauthorization act of 1997.--
Section 707 of the Small Business Reauthorization Act
of 1997 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) is amended by striking
``Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) program''
and inserting ``SCORE program described in section 8(c)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(c))''.
(B) Veterans entrepreneurship and small business
development act of 1999.--Section 301 of the Veterans
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of
1999 (15 U.S.C. 657b note) is amended--
(i) in subsection (a)--
(I) in the matter preceding
paragraph (1), by striking ``Service
Core of Retired Executives (described
in section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B))
and in this section referred to as
`SCORE')'' and inserting ``SCORE
program described in section 8(c) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(c)) (in this section referred to as
the `SCORE program')'';
(II) in paragraphs (1), (2), and
(3), by striking ``SCORE'' each place
the term appears and inserting ``the
SCORE program''; and
(III) in paragraph (2), by striking
``the'' before ``establishing''; and
(ii) in subsection (b), by striking
``SCORE'' each place the term appears and
inserting ``the SCORE program''.
(C) Military reservist and veteran small business
reauthorization and opportunity act of 2008.--The
Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business
Reauthorization and Opportunity Act of 2008 (15 U.S.C.
636 note) is amended--
(i) in section 3, by striking paragraph (5)
and inserting the following:
``(5) the term `SCORE program' means the SCORE program
described in section 8(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(c));''; and
(ii) in section 201(c)(2)(B)(i), by
striking ``Service Corps of Retired
Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE program''.
(D) Children's health insurance program
reauthorization act of 2009.--Section 621 of the
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act
of 2009 (15 U.S.C. 657p) is amended--
(i) in subsection (a), by striking
paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
``(4) the term `SCORE program' means the SCORE program
described in section 8(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(c));''; and
(ii) in subsection (b)(4)(A)(iv), by
striking ``Service Corps of Retired
Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE program''.
(E) Energy policy and conservation act.--Section
337(d)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(42 U.S.C. 6307(d)(2)(A)) is amended by striking
``Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)'' and
inserting ``SCORE program described in section 8(c) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(c))''.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S BUSINESS COUNCIL.
(a) In General.--Title IV of the Women's Business Ownership Act of
1988 (15 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 402(c) (15 U.S.C. 7102(c))--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Council'' and inserting ``NWBC''; and
(B) by striking ``Council'' each place that term
appears and inserting ``NWBC'';
(2) in section 403 (15 U.S.C. 7103)--
(A) in subsection (a)(2)(B)--
(i) by striking ``Small Business''; and
(ii) by striking ``National Women's
Business Council established under section
405'' and inserting ``NWBC''; and
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``of the Small
Business Administration'';
(3) by striking sections 405, 406, and 407 (15 U.S.C. 7105,
7106, 7107) and inserting the following:
``SEC. 405. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S BUSINESS COACHES.
``There is established a group to be known as the National Women's
Business Coaches, which shall carry out the duties described in section
406 and be composed of the members and staff described in section 407.
``SEC. 406. DUTIES OF THE NWBC.
``The NWBC shall--
``(1) collaborate with the SCORE program described in
section 8(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(c)) to
pair women entrepreneurs with coaches under the SCORE program
and other members of the NWBC;
``(2) promote the online webinars and other tools and
programs of the Administration and resource partners of the
Administration for women entrepreneurs;
``(3) develop workshops on--
``(A) the opportunities of internet sales;
``(B) e-commerce training, in particular how rural
businesses can leverage online market platforms to grow
their business;
``(C) the different internet-based market platforms
that are available to small business concerns;
``(D) utilizing social media for marketing and
hiring purposes; and
``(E) how to grow and scale a small business
through an increased online presence;
``(4) serve as a resource and collaborate for the purposes
of information sharing between women's business centers
described in section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
656), small business development centers (as defined in section
3 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 632)), regional offices of the
Administration, and Veteran Business Outreach Centers described
in section 32 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) for--
``(A) best practices for recruiting coaches,
mentors, and advisors for women entrepreneurs; and
``(B) developing materials and programs for women
entrepreneurs;
``(5) promote participation in the SCORE program among
aspiring and current entrepreneurs in need of guidance and
business owners who are willing to provide coaching services to
entrepreneurs;
``(6) be responsible for conducting, managing, and
overseeing a Coach Match Program under which NWBC members--
``(A) pair individual SCORE program participants
with SCORE program coaches that best fit the needs of
the SCORE program participants through online and in-
person events; or
``(B) if preferable to the SCORE program
participant, pair an individual SCORE program
participant with another SCORE program participant as a
peer-to-peer match;
``(7) be responsible for recruiting other business leaders
to join the SCORE program as coaches, in particular individuals
with technical expertise in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and math and individuals who are well versed in
utilizing social media as a business tool and who understand
and are adept at navigating the internet commerce ecosystem;
and
``(8) report directly to the Administrator on a semi-annual
basis on the activities of the Association, including, with
respect to the Coach Match Program described in paragraph (6)--
``(A) the number of matches made by the
Association;
``(B) the number of businesses served by the
program;
``(C) the number of SCORE program participants
seeking to be matched, including women participants;
and
``(D) results from an annual survey sent to
participants on the efficacy of the assistance provided
by their coach.
``SEC. 407. MEMBERSHIP AND STAFF OF THE NWBC.
``(a) In General.--The NWBC shall be composed of 30 volunteer
coaches, who shall--
``(1) be women business leaders; and
``(2) have a demonstrated track record of coaching and
mentoring entrepreneurs on topics including forming, managing,
growing, or selling a business.
``(b) Role of NWBC Staff.--
``(1) Staff.--Not more than 4 full-time employees shall
support the duties of the NWBC, in particular the Coach Match
Program described in section 406(6).
``(2) Applications.--The full-time employees described in
paragraph (1) shall review and accept applications submitted by
women business leaders to serve as a coach described in
subsection (a).
``(3) Nonpartisan.--The full-time employees described in
paragraph (1) shall prioritize selecting nonpartisan
individuals to serve as coaches of the NWBC.
``(c) Duration.--Each coach of the NWBC shall serve for a period of
3 years, which may be renewed after submitting a new application for
review by the full-time employees described in subsection (b)(1).'';
(4) in section 408 (15 U.S.C. 7108)--
(A) by striking paragraph (4);
(B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph
(4); and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (4), as so
redesignated, the following:
``(5) the term `NWBC' means the National Women's Business
Coaches established under section 405;'';
(5) by striking section 409 (15 U.S.C. 7109);
(6) by redesignating section 410 (15 U.S.C. 7110) as
section 409; and
(7) in section 409, as so redesignated, by striking
``Council'' each place that term appears and inserting
``NWBC''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Section 29(g)(2)(B)(ii)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(g)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended--
(1) in subclause (IX), by striking ``Council'' and
inserting ``Coaches''; and
(2) in subclause (X), by striking ``Women's Business
Council'' and inserting ``National Women's Business Coaches''.
SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE.
Title IV of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C.
7101 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 402 (15 U.S.C. 7102)--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) by striking paragraphs (2) and (5);
(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and
(4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively;
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) advise Congress and the President on the challenges
facing the formation of businesses owned and controlled by
women and best practices for facilitating the growth and
development of women's business enterprises.'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) by striking ``The Interagency'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The Interagency'';
(ii) by striking ``A majority'' and
inserting the following:
``(2) Quorum.--A majority''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Additional procedures relating to meetings.--
``(A) Open to public.--Each meetings of the
Interagency Committee shall be open to the public.
``(B) Notice of meetings.--Timely notice of each
meeting of the Interagency Committee shall be published
in the Federal Register, and the Administrator shall
prescribe regulations to provide for other types of
public notice to insure that all interested persons are
notified of each meeting in advance.
``(C) Participation.--Interested persons shall be
permitted to attend any meeting of the Interagency
Committee and appear before or file statements with the
Interagency Committee, subject to such reasonable rules
or regulations as the Administrator may prescribe.
``(D) Public inspection and copying of records.--
Subject to section 552 of title 5, United States Code,
the records, reports, transcripts, minutes, appendixes,
working papers, drafts, studies, agenda, or other
documents which were made available to or prepared for
or by the Interagency Committee shall be available for
public inspection and copying at a single location in
the office of the Interagency Committee or the
Administration until the Interagency Committee ceases
to exist.
``(E) Minutes.--Detailed minutes of each meeting of
the Interagency Committee shall be--
``(i) kept and shall contain a record of
the persons present, a complete and accurate
description of matters discussed and
conclusions reached, and copies of all reports
received, issued, or approved by the
Interagency Committee; and
``(ii) certified for accuracy by the
chairperson of the Interagency Committee.
``(F) Closed sessions.--
``(i) In general.--Subparagraphs (A) and
(C) shall not apply to any portion of a meeting
of the Interagency Committee for which the
Administrator determines that such portion of
the meeting may be closed to the public in
accordance with section 552b(c) of title 5,
United States Code.
``(ii) Form.--Any determination made under
clause (i) shall--
``(I) be in writing; and
``(II) contain the reasons for the
determination.
``(iii) Report.--If a determination is made
under clause (i), the Interagency Committee
shall issue a report, not less frequently than
annually, setting forth a summary of the
activities of the Interagency Committee and
such related matters as would be informative to
the public consistent with the policy of
section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code.
``(G) Designated officer or employee of federal
government.--
``(i) In general.--There shall be
designated an officer or employee of the
Federal Government to chair or attend each
meeting of the Interagency Committee, who shall
be authorized, whenever the officer or employee
determines it to be in the public interest, to
adjourn any such meeting.
``(ii) Prohibition.--The Interagency
Committee shall not conduct any meeting in the
absence of the designated officer or employee
of the Federal Government described in clause
(i).''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Information From Resource Partners.--The SCORE program
described in section 8(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(c)),
women's business centers described in section 29 of such Act (15 U.S.C.
656), small business development centers (as defined in section 3 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)), and State and local resource
partners of the Administration shall annually submit to the Interagency
Committee, the Administration, Congress, and the President findings
related to women's business ownership and challenges forming,
operating, and growing their business.'';
(2) in section 403(15 U.S.C. 7103)--
(A) in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking ``Small
Business Administration Reauthorization Act of 1997''
and inserting ``SCORE Act of 2023''; and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) by striking ``Not later than 45 days
after enactment of the Small Business
Administration Reauthorization Act of 1997''
and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--Not later than 45 days after the date of
enactment of the SCORE Act of 2023''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Vacancy.--In the event that a chairperson is not
appointed within the time frame required under paragraph (1),
the Deputy Administrator of the Administration shall serve as
acting chairperson of the Interagency Committee until a
chairperson is appointed under paragraph (1).''; and
(3) in section 404 (15 U.S.C. 1704), by striking
``September 30, 1995'' and inserting ``1 year after the date of
enactment of the SCORE Act of 2023''.
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