59–010 

Calendar No. 110 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 114–242 

SCORE FOR SMALL BUSINESS ACT OF 2015 

APRIL 21, 2016.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. VITTER, from the Committee on Small Business and 

Entrepreneurship, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 1000] 

The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 1000) to strengthen resources for entrepreneurs by improving the SCORE program, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon, with 

an amendment in the nature of a substitute, and recommends that 

the bill, as amended, do pass. 

I. INTRODUCTION 

The SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015 (S. 1000) was introduced by Senator Risch, with original co-sponsorship from Senator 

Coons, on April 16, 2015. Senators Ayotte, Gardner, Peters, and 

Udall are also cosponsors of the legislation. 

The SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015 increases SCORE’s 

authorization level to $10.5 million in fiscal years 2016 through 

2018 and strengthens the SCORE program through directives that 

impact the quality, scope and cost of services provided through the 

SCORE program. 

During the markup of the bill, the Vitter amendment was approved unanimously by voice vote. The Vitter amendment establishes an offset for the increased authorization for the SCORE program. The offset will be a limitation on the amount the Administration can spend on entrepreneurship education programs to $5 

million, $2.5 million of which must be obligated to the Emerging 

Leaders initiative. The bill, as amended, was approved unanimously by voice vote. 


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II. HISTORY (PURPOSE & NEED FOR LEGISLATION) 

The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is a non-profit 

association, authorized under the Small Business Act, and a resource partner of the SBA. The SBA’s SCORE program embodies 

the power of public-private partnerships. SCORE, which is made 

up of a network of more than 13,000 volunteers with 348 chapters 

across the country, is dedicated to educating and assisting entrepreneurs and small business owners in the formation, growth and 

expansion of their small businesses. According to the SCORE Association, in FY13, SCORE estimates that it served over 400,000 clients, and helped to create more than 40,500 new businesses and 

more than 67,098 new jobs. In FY14, SCORE started an additional 

56,079 new businesses, served an additional 107,201 clients, and 

created 47,187 new jobs. The Committee heard time and again at 

hearings and roundtables from volunteers serving in SCORE, and 

business owners who received SCORE assistance, about SCORE 

and how it could provide more economic benefits if it had adequate 

support. 

The SCORE Program Improvement Act of 2012 (S. 3246) was introduced on May 24, 2012 by Senator Snowe. The bill would have 

reauthorized the program through FY15. Additionally, the bill included several structural components and requirements for the program. 

The SCORE for Small Business Act of 2012 (S. 3508) would have 

increased SCORE’s authorization level to $13 million in Fiscal Year 

2013, $15 million in Fiscal Year 2014, and $17 million in Fiscal 

Year 2015. According to SCORE, the proposed increase in funding 

would have allowed SCORE to complete a large-scale transformation process that would have dramatically increased the number of businesses started during the next five years and implemented initiatives targeted at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the program. 

The SCORE for Small Business Act of 2014 (S. 2008) was introduced on February 10, 2014 to reauthorize the program for 

FY2015–FY2017; modify program requirements with respect to the 

role of participating volunteers, program plans and goals, and reporting; and outline privacy requirements pertaining to the disclosure of information of businesses assisted under such program. 

III. HEARINGS & ROUNDTABLES 

In the 112th Congress: 

On March 8, 2011, the Committee held a roundtable discussion 

titled ‘‘Reauthorization of SCORE: Discussion and Recommendations for Volunteer-based Small Business Assistance,’’ chaired by 

Senator Landrieu, to discuss SCORE reauthorization. Witnesses 

testified that the SCORE program was effective and inexpensive to 

develop with proper funding. It was noted that only three months 

into 2011, the SCORE program had already exceeded its 2010 performance numbers by 20% and was continuing to rapidly expand 

its aid to small businesses. 

IV. DESCRIPTION OF BILL 

The bill increases SCORE’s authorization level to $10.5 million 

in each fiscal year 2016 through 2018. Additionally, the bill directs 


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SCORE to provide no-cost or low-cost assistance, coaching, mentoring and other services to entrepreneurs and small business owners on aspects of creating or strengthening a business. The bill also 

requires SCORE to develop outreach mechanisms and expanded 

service delivery capacity, particularly in rural, economically disadvantaged, and other traditionally underserved areas, to ensure 

diversity amongst both the volunteers providing services and the 

small businesses being served. Further, the bill includes reporting 

requirements regarding the number of volunteers and the number 

of small businesses served, and to the extent possible the number 

of businesses created, jobs created, the value of volunteer-services 

provided, and other outcomes-based metrics. 

The amendment establishes an offset for the increased authorization. The offset will be a limitation on the amount the Administration can spend on entrepreneurship education programs to $5 million, $2.5 million of which must be obligated to the Emerging Leaders initiative. This amount is $2 million less than the FY2015 enacted level, and $6 million less than the FY2016 Administration request. 

V. COMMITTEE VOTE 

In compliance with rule XXVI (7)(b) of the Standing Rules of the 

Senate, the following vote was recorded on April 23, 2015. 

A motion to adopt the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015, 

a bill to strengthen resources for entrepreneurs by improving the 

SCORE program, and for other purposes, as amended by the Vitter 

amendment, was approved unanimously by voice vote with the following Senators present: Senators Vitter, Risch, Fischer, Gardner, 

Ernst, Ayotte, Enzi, Shaheen, Cantwell, Cardin, Heitkamp, Booker, 

Coons, Hirono, and Peters. 

VI. COST ESTIMATE 

In compliance with rule XXVI (11)(a)(1) of the Standing Rules of 

the Senate, the Committee estimates the cost of the legislation will 

be equal to the amounts discussed in the following letter from the 

Congressional Budget Office: 

JUNE 8, 2015. 

Hon. DAVID VITTER, 

Chairman, Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1000, the SCORE for Small 

Business Act of 2015. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Susan Willie. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL. 

Enclosure. 

S. 1000—SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015 

Summary: S. 1000 would authorize the appropriation of $10.5 

million for each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018 to carry out 

the SCORE program, which supports volunteers who provide counVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:28 Apr 22, 2016 Jkt 059010 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR242.XXX SR242

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seling and advice to individuals who own or wish to own a small 

business. Under current law, the program is known as the Service 

Corps of Retired Executives; S. 1000 would change the name to the 

SCORE program. CBO estimates that implementing S. 1000 would cost $32 million 

over the 2016–2020 period, assuming appropriation of the specified 

amounts. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to this legislation 

because it would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

S. 1000 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the federal government: The estimated budgetary effect of S. 1000 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of this legislation fall within budget function 370 (commerce and 

housing credit). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016– 

2020 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Authorization Level .............................................................................................. 11 11 11 0 0 32 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................................................... 6 9 11 5 1 32 

Note: Components may not sum to totals because of rounding. 

Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes the bill will 

be enacted near the end of fiscal year 2015 that the specified 

amounts will be appropriated each year, and that spending will follow historical patterns for the affected activities. 

S. 1000 would authorize the appropriation of $10.5 million for 

each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018 to carry out the SCORE 

program, which supports volunteers to provide advice and counseling to individuals who own or desire to start a small business. 

The bill would direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to 

ensure that each SCORE chapter develops a plan to provide services to disadvantaged and underserved areas and to develop new 

skills for SCORE volunteers. Based on information from the SBA, 

CBO estimates that implementing S. 1000 would cost $32 million 

over the 2016–2020 period, assuming appropriation of the specified 

amounts. 

Pay-As-You-Go considerations: None. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 1000 contains no 

intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA 

and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Susan Willie; Impact on 

State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Melissa Merrell; Impact on 

the Private Sector: Logan Smith. 

Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 

VII. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT 

In compliance with rule XXVI(11)(b) of the Standing Rules of the 

Senate, it is the opinion of the Committee that no significant additional regulatory impact will be incurred in carrying out the proviVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:28 Apr 22, 2016 Jkt 059010 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR242.XXX SR242

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sions of this legislation. There will be no additional impact on the 

personal privacy of companies or individuals who utilize the services provided. 

VIII. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS 

Section 1. Short title 

This section provides for the title, ‘‘SCORE for Small Business 

Act of 2015’’. 

Section 2. SCORE reauthorization 

This section authorizes the Service Corps of Retired Executives 

(SCORE) program at $10.5 million in each fiscal year 2016 through 

2018. The SCORE program has been a major contributor to the 

growth and sustainability of small businesses around America. As 

a Resource Partner of the SBA, authorized under the Small Business Act, SCORE has served over 400,000 clients, helping to create 

more than 38,000 new businesses and more than 67,098 new jobs. 

Section 3. SCORE program 

This section amends Section 8 of the Small Business Act to clarify and direct SCORE volunteers to provide no-cost or low-cost assistance, coaching, mentoring and other services to entrepreneurs 

and small business owners on aspects of creating or strengthening 

a business. It also requires SCORE (with oversight from the Administrator) to develop outreach mechanisms and expanded service 

delivery capacity, particularly in rural, economically disadvantaged, and other traditionally underserved areas, to ensure diversity amongst both the volunteers providing services and the small 

businesses being served. The SCORE Association must submit an 

annual report to the Administrator providing details on the success 

of the program. This section also protects individuals and small 

businesses’ right to privacy concerning personal information such 

as names, addresses, or telephone numbers. To offset the cost of 

the program, this section limits the amount the Administration can 

spend on entrepreneurship education programs to $5 million, $2.5 

million of which must be obligated to the Emerging Leaders initiative. This amount is $2 million less than the FY2015 enacted level, 

and $6 million less than the FY2016 Administration request. 

Section 4. Technical and conforming amendments 

This section makes the appropriate amendments to law in accordance with continuity and the changes made in the SCORE for 

Small Business Act of 2015. 

Æ 


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