Small Business Contracting Clarity Act of 2015

Summary: Small Business Contracting Clarity Act of 2015 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that it is in the best interests of the United States to consistently promote and assist Native Hawaiian Organizations, which are deemed to be economically disadvantaged for purposes of Small Business Administration (SBA) procurement contract requirements.  The Small Business Act is amended to designate these Organizations as HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small businesses for purposes of SBA assistance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Contracting Clarity 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Native Hawaiians make up an economically disadvantaged 
        group.
            (2) According to statistics from 2013, in the United 
        States--
                    (A) only 1 in 5 Native Hawaiians had attained a 
                bachelor's degree or higher (20.5 percent), which is 
                lower than percentage nationally (29.1 percent), the 
                percentage for Whites (32.5 percent), and the 
                percentage for Asians (50.7 percent);
                    (B) the unemployment rate of Native Hawaiians (7.5 
                percent) was higher than the national unemployment rate 
                (5.9 percent);
                    (C) Native Hawaiians remained underrepresented in 
                management, business, sciences and arts occupations 
                (28.4 percent) in comparison to the national level or 
                representation (36.2 percent);
                    (D) the average earnings of a Native Hawaiian 
                household ($70,686) was lower than the national average 
                ($74,657);
                    (E) the percentage of Native Hawaiian households 
                receiving benefits from the supplemental nutrition 
                assistance program (18.8 percent) was higher than the 
                national percentage (13.4 percent);
                    (F) the poverty rate of Native Hawaiian families 
                (13.2 percent) remains higher than the national rate 
                (11.7 percent); and
                    (G) approximately 34 percent of Native Hawaiian 
                households surveyed did not have a savings account, in 
                comparison to 29.5 percent of all households surveyed.
            (3) In 2001, the Department of the Treasury found that 
        Native Hawaiians living on Hawaiian Home Lands (as defined in 
        section 247(d)(2) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-
        12(d)(2))) face significant barriers to capital access, credit, 
        and basic financial services.
            (4) The United States as a whole will benefit from policies 
        that assist Native Hawaiians in economic equality.
            (5) Participation in the free enterprise system is 
        essential to gain economic equality and self-sufficiency for 
        Native Hawaiians.
            (6) Government procurement from Native Hawaiian 
        Organizations (as defined in section 8(a)(15) of the Small 
        Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(15))) offers a way for Native 
        Hawaiians to participate in our free enterprise system by 
        providing goods and services, revenue, and jobs for Native 
        Hawaiians.
            (7) Consistent promotion of and Federal assistance for 
        Native Hawaiian Organizations will guarantee that Native 
        Hawaiians gain and maintain economic equality.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that it is in 
the best interests of the United States to consistently promote and 
assist Native Hawaiian Organizations.

SEC. 3. SMALL BUSINESS CONFORMITY.

    (a) HUBZone Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--Section 3(p)(3) of the Small Business Act 
        (15 U.S.C. 632(p)(3)) is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as 
                subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the 
                following:
                    ``(D) a small business concern--
                            ``(i) that is wholly owned by one or more 
                        Native Hawaiian Organizations (as defined in 
                        section 8(a)(15)), or by a corporation that is 
                        wholly owned by one or more Native Hawaiian 
                        Organizations; or
                            ``(ii) that is owned in part by one or more 
                        Native Hawaiian Organizations, or by a 
                        corporation that is wholly owned by one or more 
                        Native Hawaiian Organizations, if all other 
                        owners are either United States citizens or 
                        small business concerns;''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 3(p)(5)(A)(i)(I)(aa) of 
        the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(p)(5)(A)(i)(I)(aa)) is 
        amended by striking ``subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E) 
        of paragraph (3)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (A), (B), (C), 
        (D), (E) or (F) of paragraph (3)''.
    (b) 8(a) Program.--
            (1) In general.--Section 8(a)(6)(A) of the Small Business 
        Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(6)(A)) is amended by adding at the end 
        the following new sentence: ``Native Hawaiian Organizations (as 
        defined in paragraph (15)) shall be deemed to be economically 
        disadvantaged for the purposes of this subsection.''.
            (2) Applicability.--The amendment made by this subsection 
        shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act and 
        apply to determinations of economic disadvantage made before, 
        on, or after the date of enactment of this Act.