[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 38 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 162
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 38
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business
Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 24 (legislative day, January 3), 2023
Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship
July 25, 2023
Reported by Mr. Cardin, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business
Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Entrepreneurship
Training Act of 2023''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is
amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(h) Boots to Business Program.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) Covered individual defined.--In this
subsection, the term `covered individual' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) a member of the Armed Forces,
including the National Guard or Reserves;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) an individual who is participating
in the Transition Assistance Program established under
section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) an individual who--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) served on active duty in any
branch of the Armed Forces, including the
National Guard or Reserves; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) was discharged or released
from such service under conditions other than
dishonorable; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) a spouse or dependent of an
individual described in subparagraph (A), (B), or
(C).</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Establishment.--During the period beginning
on the date of enactment of this subsection and ending on
September 30, 2028, the Administrator shall carry out a program
to be known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide
entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Goals.--The goals of the Boots to Business
Program are to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) provide assistance and in-depth
training to covered individuals interested in business
ownership; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) provide covered individuals with the
tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to identify a
business opportunity, draft a business plan, identify
sources of capital, connect with local resources for
small business concerns, and start up a small business
concern.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) Program components.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) In general.--The Boots to Business
Program may include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) a presentation providing
exposure to the considerations involved in
self-employment and ownership of a small
business concern;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) an online, self-study
course focused on the basic skills of
entrepreneurship, the language of business, and
the considerations involved in self-employment
and ownership of a small business
concern;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(iii) an in-person classroom
instruction component providing an introduction
to the foundations of self employment and
ownership of a small business concern;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(iv) in-depth training delivered
through online instruction, including an online
course that leads to the creation of a business
plan.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Collaboration.--The Administrator
may--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) collaborate with public and
private entities to develop course curricula
for the Boots to Business Program;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) modify program components
in coordination with entities participating in
a Warriors in Transition program, as defined in
section 738(e) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10
U.S.C. 1071 note).</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) Use of resource partners and
district offices.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) In general.--The
Administrator shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(I) ensure that Veteran
Business Outreach Centers regularly
participate, on a nationwide basis, in
the Boots to Business Program;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(II) to the maximum
extent practicable, use district
offices of the Administration and a
variety of other resource partners and
entities in administering the Boots to
Business Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) Grant authority.--In
carrying out clause (i), the Administrator may
make grants to Veteran Business Outreach
Centers, other resource partners, or other
entities to carry out components of the Boots
to Business Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) Availability to department of
defense and the department of labor.--The Administrator
shall make available to the Secretary of Defense and
the Secretary of Labor information regarding the Boots
to Business Program, including all course materials and
outreach materials related to the Boots to Business
Program, for inclusion on the websites of the
Department of Defense and the Department of Labor
relating to the Transition Assistance Program, in the
Transition Assistance Program manual, and in other
relevant materials available for distribution from the
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of
Labor.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(E) Availability to department of
veterans affairs.--In consultation with the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator shall make
available for distribution and display on the website
of the Department of Veterans Affairs and at local
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs
outreach materials regarding the Boots to Business
Program, which shall, at a minimum--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) describe the Boots to
Business Program and the services provided;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) include eligibility
requirements for participating in the Boots to
Business Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(F) Availability to other participating
agencies.--The Administrator shall ensure information
regarding the Boots to Business program, including all
course materials and outreach materials related to the
Boots to Business Program, is made available to other
participating agencies in the Transition Assistance
Program and upon request of other agencies.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) Competitive bidding procedures.--The
Administration shall use relevant competitive bidding
procedures with respect to any contract or cooperative
agreement executed by the Administration under the Boots to
Business Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(6) Publication of notice of funding
opportunity.--Not later than 30 days before the deadline for
submitting applications for any funding opportunity under the
Boots to Business Program, the Administration shall publish a
notice of the funding opportunity.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(7) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this subsection, and not less frequently
than annually thereafter, 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 on the performance and effectiveness
of the Boots to Business Program, which--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) may be included as part of another
report submitted to such committees by the
Administrator related to the Office of Veterans
Business Development; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) shall summarize available
information relating to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) grants awarded under
paragraph (4)(C);</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) the total cost of the Boots
to Business Program;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(iii) the amount of program
funds used for domestic and international
travel expenses;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(iv) the number of program
participants using each component of the Boots
to Business Program;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(v) the completion rates for
each component of the Boots to Business
Program;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(vi) to the extent possible--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(I) the demographics of
program participants, to include
gender, age, race, ethnicity, and
relationship to military;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(II) the number of
program participants that connect with
a district office of the
Administration, a Veteran Business
Outreach Center, or another resource
partner of the
Administration;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(III) the number of
program participants that start a small
business concern;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(IV) the results of the
Boots to Business and Boots to Business
Reboot course quality surveys conducted
by the Office of Veterans Business
Development before and after attending
each of those courses, including a
summary of any comments received from
program participants;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(V) the results of the
Boots to Business Program outcome
surveys conducted by the Office of
Veterans Business Development,
including a summary of any comments
received from program participants;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(VI) the results of
other germane participant satisfaction
surveys;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) an evaluation of the overall
effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program based on
each geographic region covered by the Administration
during the most recent fiscal year;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) an assessment of additional
performance outcome measures for the Boots to Business
Program, as identified by the Administrator;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(E) any recommendations of the
Administrator for improvement of the Boots to Business
Program, which may include expansion of the types of
individuals who are covered individuals;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(F) an explanation of how the Boots to
Business Program has been integrated with other
transition programs and related resources of the
Administration and other Federal agencies;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(G) any additional information the
Administrator determines necessary.''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Entrepreneurship Training
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.
Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(h) Boots to Business Program.--
``(1) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the
term `covered individual' means--
``(A) a member of the Armed Forces, including the
National Guard or Reserves;
``(B) an individual who is participating in the
Transition Assistance Program established under section
1144 of title 10, United States Code;
``(C) an individual who--
``(i) served on active duty in any branch
of the Armed Forces, including the National
Guard or Reserves; and
``(ii) was discharged or released from such
service under conditions other than
dishonorable; and
``(D) a spouse or dependent of an individual
described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
``(2) Establishment.--During the period beginning on the
date of enactment of this subsection and ending on September
30, 2028, the Administrator shall carry out a program to be
known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide
entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.
``(3) Goals.--The goals of the Boots to Business Program
are to--
``(A) provide assistance and in-depth training to
covered individuals interested in business ownership;
and
``(B) provide covered individuals with the tools,
skills, and knowledge necessary to identify a business
opportunity, draft a business plan, identify sources of
capital, connect with local resources for small
business concerns, and start up a small business
concern.
``(4) Program components.--
``(A) In general.--The Boots to Business Program
may include--
``(i) an in-person and virtual, as
applicable, presentation providing exposure to
the considerations involved in self-employment
and ownership of a small business concern;
``(ii) an online, self-study course focused
on the basic skills of entrepreneurship, the
language of business, and the considerations
involved in self-employment and ownership of a
small business concern;
``(iii) an in-person and virtual, as
applicable, classroom instruction component
providing an introduction to the foundations of
self employment and ownership of a small
business concern; and
``(iv) in-depth training delivered through
online instruction, including an online course
that leads to the creation of a business plan.
``(B) Travel costs.--
``(i) In general.--Subject to the other
provisions of this subparagraph, of the total
amount of grant funding that a Veteran Business
Outreach Center participating in the Boots to
Business Program receives from the
Administration, the center may not expend more
than 35 percent of that funding on costs
relating to international travel with respect
to the Boots to Business Program.
``(ii) Costs not included in cap.--Costs
relating to the salaries of, or stipends for,
instructors under the Boots to Business Program
shall not be included for the purposes of the
limitation under clause (i).
``(iii) Petition.--
``(I) In general.--A Veteran
Business Outreach Center may petition
the Administrator for the center to
expend additional funds beyond the
limitation under clause (i) for the
purposes described in that clause.
``(II) Notification requirement.--
If the Administrator grants any
petition submitted under subclause (I),
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 notification
regarding that decision by the
Administrator.
``(C) Collaboration.--The Administrator may--
``(i) collaborate with public and private
entities to develop course curricula for the
Boots to Business Program;
``(ii) modify program components in
coordination with entities participating in a
Warriors in Transition program, as defined in
section 738(e) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10
U.S.C. 1071 note); and
``(iii) consult with Directors of Veteran
Business Outreach Centers regarding the
necessity of instructor international travel
and the feasibility of incorporating virtual
classroom components.
``(D) Use of resource partners and district
offices.--
``(i) In general.--The Administrator
shall--
``(I) ensure that Veteran Business
Outreach Centers regularly participate,
on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to
Business Program; and
``(II) to the maximum extent
practicable, use district offices of
the Administration and a variety of
other resource partners and entities in
administering the Boots to Business
Program.
``(ii) Grant authority.--In carrying out
clause (i), the Administrator may make grants
to Veteran Business Outreach Centers, other
resource partners, or other entities to carry
out components of the Boots to Business
Program.
``(E) Availability to department of defense and the
department of labor.--The Administrator shall make
available to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary
of Labor information regarding the Boots to Business
Program, including all course materials and outreach
materials related to the Boots to Business Program, for
inclusion on the websites of the Department of Defense
and the Department of Labor relating to the Transition
Assistance Program, in the Transition Assistance
Program manual, and in other relevant materials
available for distribution from the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of Labor.
``(F) Availability to department of veterans
affairs.--In consultation with the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, the Administrator shall make
available for distribution and display on the website
of the Department of Veterans Affairs and at local
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs
outreach materials regarding the Boots to Business
Program, which shall, at a minimum--
``(i) describe the Boots to Business
Program and the services provided; and
``(ii) include eligibility requirements for
participating in the Boots to Business Program.
``(G) Availability to other participating
agencies.--The Administrator shall ensure information
regarding the Boots to Business program, including all
course materials and outreach materials related to the
Boots to Business Program, is made available to other
participating agencies in the Transition Assistance
Program and upon request of other agencies.
``(5) Competitive bidding procedures.--The Administration
shall use relevant competitive bidding procedures with respect
to any contract or cooperative agreement executed by the
Administration under the Boots to Business Program.
``(6) Publication of notice of funding opportunity.--Not
later than 30 days before the deadline for submitting
applications for any funding opportunity under the Boots to
Business Program, the Administration shall publish a notice of
the funding opportunity.
``(7) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this subsection, and not less frequently than
annually thereafter, 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 on the performance and effectiveness
of the Boots to Business Program, which--
``(A) may be included as part of another report
submitted to such committees by the Administrator
related to the Office of Veterans Business Development;
and
``(B) shall summarize available information
relating to--
``(i) grants awarded under paragraph
(4)(D);
``(ii) the total cost of the Boots to
Business Program;
``(iii) the amount of program funds used
for domestic and international travel expenses;
``(iv) each domestic location and
international location traveled to for Boots to
Business program instruction;
``(v) the number of program participants
using each component of the Boots to Business
Program;
``(vi) the completion rates for each
component of the Boots to Business Program; and
``(vii) to the extent possible--
``(I) the demographics of program
participants, to include gender, age,
race, ethnicity, and relationship to
the Armed Forces;
``(II) the number of program
participants that connect with a
district office of the Administration,
a Veteran Business Outreach Center, or
another resource partner of the
Administration;
``(III) the number of program
participants that start a small
business concern;
``(IV) the results of the Boots to
Business and Boots to Business Reboot
course quality surveys conducted by the
Office of Veterans Business Development
before and after attending each of
those courses, including a summary of
any comments received from program
participants;
``(V) the results of the Boots to
Business Program outcome surveys
conducted by the Office of Veterans
Business Development, including a
summary of any comments received from
program participants; and
``(VI) the results of other germane
participant satisfaction surveys;
``(C) an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of
the Boots to Business Program based on each geographic
region covered by the Administration during the most
recent fiscal year;
``(D) an assessment of additional performance
outcome measures for the Boots to Business Program, as
identified by the Administrator;
``(E) any recommendations of the Administrator for
improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may
include expansion of the types of individuals who are
covered individuals;
``(F) an explanation of how the Boots to Business
Program has been integrated with other transition
programs and related resources of the Administration
and other Federal agencies; and
``(G) any additional information the Administrator
determines necessary.''.
Calendar No. 162
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 38
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business
Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 25, 2023
Reported with an amendment