II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1111

To provide continuing authorization for a National Conference on Small

Business, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 24, 1999

Mr. BOND introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to

the Committee on Small Business

A BILL

To provide continuing authorization for a National

Conference on Small Business, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Conference

5 on Small Business Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

7 In this Act—

8 (1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad9 ministrator of the Small Business Administration;
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1 (2) the term ‘‘Chief Counsel’’ means the Chief

2 Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Admin3 istration;

4 (3) the term ‘‘National Commission’’ means the

5 National Commission on Small Business established

6 under section 6;

7 (4) the term ‘‘National Conference’’—

8 (A) means the National Conference on

9 Small Business conducted under section 3(a);

10 and

11 (B) includes the last White House Con12 ference on Small Business occurring before

13 2002;

14 (5) the term ‘‘small business’’ has the meaning

15 given the term ‘‘small business concern’’ under sec16 tion 3 of the Small Business Act;

17 (6) the term ‘‘State’’ means any of the 50

18 States of the United States; and

19 (7) the term ‘‘State Conference’’ means a State

20 Conference on Small Business conducted under sec21 tion 3(b).

22 SEC. 3. NATIONAL AND STATE CONFERENCES ON SMALL

23 BUSINESS.

24 (a) NATIONAL CONFERENCES.—There shall be a Na25 tional Conference on Small Business once every 4 years,
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1 to be held during the second year following each Presi2 dential election, to carry out the purposes specified in sec3 tion 4.

4 (b) STATE CONFERENCES.—Each National Con5 ference referred to in subsection (a) shall be preceded by

6 a State Conference on Small Business, with not fewer

7 than 1 such conference held in each State, and with not

8 fewer than 2 such conferences held in any State having

9 a population of more than 10,000,000.

10 SEC. 4. PURPOSES OF NATIONAL CONFERENCES.

11 The purposes of each National Conference shall be—

12 (1) to increase public awareness of the con13 tribution of small business to the Nation’s economy;

14 (2) to identify the problems of small business;

15 (3) to examine the status of minorities and

16 women as small business owners;

17 (4) to assist small business in carrying out its

18 role as the Nation’s job creator;

19 (5) to assemble small businesses to develop

20 such specific and comprehensive recommendations

21 for legislative and regulatory action as may be ap22 propriate for maintaining and encouraging the eco23 nomic viability of small business and thereby, the

24 Nation; and
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1 (6) to review the status of recommendations

2 adopted at the immediately preceding National Con3 ference on Small Business.

4 SEC. 5. CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purposes speci6 fied in section 4, the National Commission shall conduct

7 National and State Conferences to bring together individ8 uals concerned with issues relating to small business.

9 (b) CONFERENCE DELEGATES.—

10 (1) APPOINTMENTS.—Only individuals who are

11 owners or officers of a small business shall be eligi12 ble for appointment as delegates (or alternates) to

13 the National and State Conferences pursuant to this

14 subsection, and such appointments shall consist of—

15 (A) 1 delegate (and 1 alternate) appointed

16 by each Governor of each State;

17 (B) 1 delegate (and 1 alternate) appointed

18 by each Member of the House of Representa19 tives, from the congressional district of that

20 Member;

21 (C) 1 delegate (and 1 alternate) appointed

22 by each Member of the Senate from the home

23 State of that Member; and

24 (D) 50 delegates (and 50 alternates) ap25 pointed by the President, 1 from each State.
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1 (2) POWERS AND DUTIES.—Delegates to each

2 National Conference—

3 (A) shall attend the State conferences in

4 his or her respective State;

5 (B) shall conduct meetings and other ac6 tivities at the State level before the date of the

7 National Conference, subject to the approval of

8 the National Commission; and

9 (C) shall direct such State level con10 ferences, meetings, and activities toward the

11 consideration of the purposes of the National

12 Conference specified in section 4, in order to

13 prepare for the next National Conference.

14 (3) ALTERNATES.—Alternates shall serve dur15 ing the absence or unavailability of the delegate.

16 (c) ROLE OF THE CHIEF COUNSEL.—The Chief

17 Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administra18 tion shall, after consultation and in coordination with the

19 National Commission, assist in carrying out the National

20 and State Conferences required by this Act by—

21 (1) preparing and providing background infor22 mation and administrative materials for use by par23 ticipants in the conferences;

24 (2) distributing issue information and adminis25 trative communications, electronically where possible
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1 through an Internet web site and e-mail, and in

2 printed form if requested; and

3 (3) maintaining an Internet site and regular e4 mail communications after each National Conference

5 to inform delegates and the public of the status of

6 recommendations and related governmental activity.

7 (d) EXPENSES.—Each delegate (and alternate) to

8 each National and State Conference shall be responsible

9 for his or her expenses related to attending the con10 ferences, and shall not be reimbursed either from funds

11 appropriated pursuant to this section or the Small Busi12 ness Act.

13 (e) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The National Commission

15 shall appoint a Conference Advisory Committee con16 sisting of 10 individuals who were participants at

17 the last preceding National Conference.

18 (2) PREFERENCE.—Preference for appointment

19 under this subsection shall be given to those who

20 have been active participants in the implementation

21 process following the prior National Conference.

22 (f) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—National and State

23 Conferences shall be open to the public, and no fee or

24 charge may be imposed on such attendee, other than an

25 amount necessary to cover the cost of any meal provided,
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1 plus a registration fee to defray the expense of meeting

2 rooms and materials of not to exceed $15 per person.

3 SEC. 6. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SMALL BUSINESS.

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Na5 tional Commission on Small Business.

6 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—

7 (1) APPOINTMENT.—The National Commission

8 shall be composed of 9 members, including—

9 (A) the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the

10 Small Business Administration;

11 (B) 2 members appointed by the President;

12 (C) 2 members appointed by the majority

13 leader of the Senate;

14 (D) 1 member appointed by the minority

15 leader of the Senate;

16 (E) 2 members appointed by the majority

17 leader of the House of Representatives; and

18 (F) 1 member appointed by the minority

19 leader of the House of Representatives.

20 (2) SELECTION.—Members of the National

21 Commission shall be selected among distinguished

22 individuals noted for their knowledge and experience

23 in fields relevant to the issue of small business and

24 the purposes of this Act.
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1 (3) TIME OF APPOINTMENT.—The appoint2 ments required by paragraph (1) shall be made 1

3 year before the opening date of each National Con4 ference, and shall expire 9 months after the date on

5 which each National Conference is convened.

6 (c) ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON.—At the first meet7 ing of each National Commission, a majority of the mem8 bers of the National Commission present and voting shall

9 elect the Chairperson of the National Commission.

10 (d) POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION.—The Na11 tional Commission—

12 (1) may enter into contracts with public agen13 cies, private organizations, and academic institutions

14 to carry out this Act;

15 (2) shall consult, coordinate, and contract with

16 an independent, nonpartisan organization that—

17 (A) has both substantive and logistical ex18 perience in developing and organizing con19 ferences and forums throughout the Nation

20 with elected officials and other government and

21 business leaders;

22 (B) has experience in generating private

23 resource from multiple States in the form of

24 event sponsorships; and
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1 (C) can demonstrate evidence of a working

2 relationship with Members of Congress from the

3 majority and minority parties, and at least 1

4 Federal agency; and

5 (3) shall prescribe such financial controls and

6 accounting procedures as needed for the handling of

7 funds from fees and charges and the payment of au8 thorized meal, facility, travel, and other related ex9 penses.

10 (e) PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION OF CON11 FERENCES.—In carrying out the National and State Con12 ferences required by this Act, the National Commission

13 shall consult with the Office of Advocacy of the Small

14 Business Administration, the Congress, and such other

15 Federal agencies as it deems appropriate.

16 (f) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than 6 months

17 after the date on which each National Conference is con18 vened, the National Commission shall submit to the Presi19 dent and to the chairpersons and ranking minority Mem20 bers of the Committees on Small Business of the Senate

21 and the House of Representatives a final report, which

22 shall—

23 (1) include the findings and recommendations

24 of the National Conference and any proposals for
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1 legislative action necessary to implement those rec2 ommendations; and

3 (2) be made available to the public.

4 (g) QUORUM.—4 voting members of the National

5 Commission shall constitute a quorum for purposes of

6 transacting business.

7 (h) MEETINGS.—The National Commission shall

8 meet not later than 20 calendar days after the appoint9 ment of all members, and at least every 30 calendar days

10 thereafter.

11 (i) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy of the National Com12 mission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in

13 the manner in which the original appointment was made.

14 (j) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Na15 tional Commission may appoint and compensate an Exec16 utive Director and such other personnel to conduct the

17 National and State Conferences as it may deem advisable,

18 without regard to title 5, United States Code, governing

19 appointments in the competitive service, and without re20 gard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of

21 such title, relating to classification and General Schedule

22 pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the Executive

23 Director and other personnel may not exceed the rate pay24 able for level V of the Executive Schedule under section

25 5316 of such title.
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1 (k) FUNDING.—Members of the National Commis2 sion shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem

3 in lieu of subsistence at rates authorized for employees

4 of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5,

5 United States Code, while away from their homes or reg6 ular places of business in the performance of services for

7 the National Commission.

8 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; AVAIL9 ABILITY OF FUNDS.

10 (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

11 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out each Na12 tional and State Conference required by this Act,

13 $5,000,000, which shall remain available until expended.

14 New spending authority or authority to enter contracts as

15 provided in this Act shall be effective only to such extent

16 and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appro17 priation Acts.

18 (b) SPECIFIC EARMARK.—No amount made available

19 to the Small Business Administration may be made avail20 able to carry out this Act, other than amounts made avail21 able specifically for the purpose of conducting the National

22 Conferences.

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