II 

Calendar No. 253 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2116 

To improve certain programs of the Small Business Administration to better 

assist small business customers in accessing broadband technology, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 1, 2015 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. VITTER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. PETERS, Mr. 

BOOKER, and Mr. MARKEY) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

OCTOBER 7, 2015 

Reported by Mr. VITTER, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To improve certain programs of the Small Business Administration to better assist small business customers in accessing broadband technology, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Small Business 

3 Broadband and Emerging Information Technology En4 hancement Act of 2015’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

6 Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) According to a report by the Federal Com8 munications Commission entitled ‘‘Connecting Amer9 ica: The National Broadband Plan’’, dated March 

10 2010, the Commission recommends that— 

11 (A) ‘‘To fully implement next-generation 

12 technology within its operations, the SBA 

13 should also appoint a broadband and emerging 

14 IT coordinator. This individual would ensure 

15 that SBA programs maintain the requisite 

16 broadband expertise, tools and training courses 

17 to serve small businesses.’’; 

18 (B) ‘‘Congress should consider ways to le19 verage existing assistance provided through’’ 

20 entrepreneurial development programs, ‘‘to 

21 focus training on advanced IT and broadband 

22 applications’’; 

23 (C) ‘‘Congress could also consider ways to 

24 support technology training among women en25 trepreneurs through’’ women’s business centers; 


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1 (D) ‘‘The training programs should include 

2 an entry-level ‘Broadband 101’ course to give 

3 small businesses an introduction to how to cap4 italize on broadband connectivity, as well as 

5 more advanced applications for IT staff.’’; and 

6 (E) small and medium enterprise ‘‘IT 

7 training should include resources for non-IT 

8 staff, such as how to use e-commerce tools for 

9 sales, streamline finance with online records or 

10 leverage knowledge management across an or11 ganization.’’. 

12 (2) According to a report by the Broadband 

13 Opportunity Council, dated August 20, 2015, the 

14 Council recommends that the United States— 

15 (A) modernize Federal programs to expand 

16 program support for broadband technology in17 vestments; 

18 (B) empower communities with tools and 

19 resources to attract investment in and promote 

20 meaningful use of broadband technology; 

21 (C) promote increased deployment of and 

22 competition relating to broadband technology 

23 through expanded access to Federal assets; and 

24 (D) improve data collection, analysis, and 

25 research on broadband technology. 


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1 (3) According to a report entitled ‘‘The State of 

2 the App Economy’’, dated October 2014— 

3 (A) ‘‘More than three-quarters of the high4 est grossing apps are produced by startups and 

5 small companies.’’; and 

6 (B) ‘‘Seventy-eight percent of the leading 

7 app companies are located outside Silicon Val8 ley.’’. 

9 (4) According to a report entitled, ‘‘Developer 

10 Economics Q1 2015: State of the Developer Na11 tion’’, dated February 2015, ‘‘The emergence of the 

12 app industry over the past eight years has grown to 

13 a $120 billion economy.’’. 

14 SEC. 3. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECH15 NOLOGY COORDINATOR. 

16 The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is 

17 amended— 

18 (1) by redesignating section 47 as section 48; 

19 and 

20 (2) by inserting after section 46 the following: 

21 ‘‘SEC. 47. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION 

22 TECHNOLOGY. 

23 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 


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1 ‘‘(1) the term ‘Associate Administrator’ means 

2 the Associate Administrator for the Office of Invest3 ment and Innovation; and 

4 ‘‘(2) the term ‘broadband and emerging infor5 mation technology coordinator’ means the employee 

6 designated to carry out the broadband and emerging 

7 information technology coordination responsibilities 

8 of the Administration under subsection (b)(1). 

9 ‘‘(b) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATOR.— 

10 ‘‘(1) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATOR.—The As11 sociate Administrator shall designate a senior em12 ployee of the Office of Investment and Innovation to 

13 serve as the broadband and emerging information 

14 technology coordinator, who— 

15 ‘‘(A) shall report to the Associate Adminis16 trator; 

17 ‘‘(B) shall work in coordination with— 

18 ‘‘(i) the chief information officer, the 

19 chief technology officer, and the head of 

20 the Office of Technology of the Adminis21 tration; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) any other Associate Adminis23 trator of the Administration determined 

24 appropriate by the Associate Adminis25 trator; 


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1 ‘‘(C) has experience developing and imple2 menting telecommunications policy in the pri3 vate sector or government; and 

4 ‘‘(D) has demonstrated significant experi5 ence in the area of broadband or emerging in6 formation technology. 

7 ‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES OF COORDINATOR.— 

8 The broadband and emerging information technology 

9 coordinator shall— 

10 ‘‘(A) coordinate programs of the Adminis11 tration that assist small business concerns in 

12 adopting, making innovations in, and using 

13 broadband and other emerging information 

14 technologies; 

15 ‘‘(B) serve as the primary liaison of the 

16 Administration to other Federal agencies in17 volved in broadband and emerging information 

18 technology policy, including the Department of 

19 Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, and 

20 the Federal Communications Commission; 

21 ‘‘(C) identify best practices relating to 

22 broadband and emerging information tech23 nology that may benefit small business con24 cerns; and 


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1 ‘‘(D) identify and catalog tools and train2 ing available through the resource partners of 

3 the Administration that assist small business 

4 concerns in adopting, making innovations in, 

5 and using broadband and emerging tech6 nologies. 

7 ‘‘(3) TRAVEL.—Not more than 20 percent of 

8 the hours of service by the broadband and emerging 

9 information technology coordinator during any fiscal 

10 year shall consist of travel outside the United States 

11 to perform official duties. 

12 ‘‘(c) BROADBAND AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

13 TRAINING.— 

14 ‘‘(1) TRAINING.—The Associate Administrator 

15 shall provide to employees of the Administration 

16 training that— 

17 ‘‘(A) familiarizes employees of the Admin18 istration with broadband and other emerging 

19 information technologies; 

20 ‘‘(B) includes— 

21 ‘‘(i) instruction on counseling small 

22 business concerns regarding adopting, 

23 making innovations in, and using 

24 broadband and other emerging information 

25 technologies; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) information on programs of the 

2 Federal Government that provide assist3 ance to small business concerns relating to 

4 broadband and emerging information tech5 nologies; and 

6 ‘‘(C) to maximum extent practicable, uses 

7 the tools and training cataloged and identified 

8 under subsection (b)(2)(D). 

9 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

10 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

11 as are necessary to carry out this subsection. 

12 ‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) BIENNIAL REPORT ON ACTIVITIES.—Not 

14 later than 2 years after the date on which the Asso15 ciate Administrator makes the first designation of 

16 an employee under subsection (b), and every 2 years 

17 thereafter, the broadband and emerging information 

18 technology coordinator shall submit to the Com19 mittee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of 

20 the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of 

21 the House of Representatives a report regarding the 

22 programs and activities of the Administration relat23 ing to broadband and other emerging information 

24 technologies. 


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1 ‘‘(2) IMPACT OF BROADBAND SPEED AND PRICE

2 ON SMALL BUSINESSES.— 

3 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to appropria4 tions, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall con5 duct a study evaluating the impact of 

6 broadband speed and price on small business 

7 concerns. 

8 ‘‘(B) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years 

9 after the date of enactment of the Small Busi10 ness Broadband and Emerging Information 

11 Technology Enhancement Act of 2015, the 

12 Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall submit to the 

13 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans14 portation and the Committee on Small Business 

15 and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the 

16 Committee on Energy and Commerce and the 

17 Committee on Small Business of the House of 

18 Representatives a report on the results of the 

19 study under subparagraph (A), including— 

20 ‘‘(i) a survey of broadband speeds 

21 available to small business concerns; 

22 ‘‘(ii) a survey of the cost of broadband 

23 speeds available to small business con24 cerns; 


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1 ‘‘(iii) a survey of the type of 

2 broadband technology used by small busi3 ness concerns; and 

4 ‘‘(iv) any policy recommendations that 

5 may improve the access of small business 

6 concerns to comparable broadband services 

7 at comparable rates in all regions of the 

8 United States.’’. 

9 SEC. 4. ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT. 

10 Section 21(c)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 

11 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)(B)) is amended— 

12 (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by insert13 ing ‘‘accessing broadband and other emerging infor14 mation technology,’’ after ‘‘technology transfer,’’; 

15 (2) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

16 (3) in clause (iii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

17 and 

18 (4) by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(iv) increasing the competitiveness and 

20 productivity of small business concerns by as21 sisting entrepreneurs in accessing broadband 

22 and other emerging information technology;’’. 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Small Business 

3 Broadband and Emerging Information Technology En4 hancement Act of 2015’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

6 Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) According to a report by the Federal Com8 munications Commission entitled ‘‘Connecting Amer9 ica: The National Broadband Plan’’, dated March 

10 2010, the Commission recommends that— 

11 (A) ‘‘To fully implement next-generation 

12 technology within its operations, the SBA should 

13 also appoint a broadband and emerging IT coor14 dinator. This individual would ensure that SBA 

15 programs maintain the requisite broadband ex16 pertise, tools and training courses to serve small 

17 businesses.’’; 

18 (B) ‘‘Congress should consider ways to le19 verage existing assistance provided through’’ en20 trepreneurial development programs, ‘‘to focus 

21 training on advanced IT and broadband appli22 cations’’; 

23 (C) ‘‘Congress could also consider ways to 

24 support technology training among women entre25 preneurs through’’ women’s business centers; 


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1 (D) ‘‘The training programs should include 

2 an entry-level ‘Broadband 101’ course to give 

3 small businesses an introduction to how to cap4 italize on broadband connectivity, as well as 

5 more advanced applications for IT staff.’’; and 

6 (E) small and medium enterprise ‘‘IT 

7 training should include resources for non-IT 

8 staff, such as how to use e-commerce tools for 

9 sales, streamline finance with online records or 

10 leverage knowledge management across an orga11 nization.’’. 

12 (2) According to a report by the Broadband Op13 portunity Council, dated August 20, 2015, the avail14 ability of and access to broadband technology en15 ables— 

16 (A) greater civic participation, by pro17 viding tools for open government and stream18 lining government process; 

19 (B) changes in how people access edu20 cational resources, collaborate in the educational 

21 process, conduct research, and continue to learn 

22 anytime, anyplace, and at any pace; 

23 (C) improved healthcare access, treatments, 

24 and information; 


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1 (D) new business models that create busi2 ness efficiencies, drive job creation, and connect 

3 manufacturers and store-fronts to clients and 

4 partners worldwide; and 

5 (E) bringing communities together and im6 provements to public safety, creating a greener 

7 planet, and make transportation systems more 

8 resilient and efficient. 

9 (3) According to a report entitled ‘‘The State of 

10 the App Economy’’, dated October 2014— 

11 (A) ‘‘More than three-quarters of the highest 

12 grossing apps are produced by startups and 

13 small companies.’’; and 

14 (B) ‘‘Seventy-eight percent of the leading 

15 app companies are located outside Silicon Val16 ley.’’. 

17 (4) According to a report entitled, ‘‘Developer 

18 Economics Q1 2015: State of the Developer Nation’’, 

19 dated February 2015, ‘‘The emergence of the app in20 dustry over the past eight years has grown to a $120 

21 billion economy.’’. 

22 SEC. 3. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECH23 NOLOGY COORDINATOR. 

24 The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is 

25 amended— 


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1 (1) by redesignating section 47 as section 48; 

2 and 

3 (2) by inserting after section 46 the following: 

4 ‘‘SEC. 47. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION 

5 TECHNOLOGY. 

6 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

7 ‘‘(1) the term ‘Associate Administrator’ means 

8 the Associate Administrator for the Office of Invest9 ment and Innovation; and 

10 ‘‘(2) the term ‘broadband and emerging informa11 tion technology coordinator’ means the employee des12 ignated to carry out the broadband and emerging in13 formation technology coordination responsibilities of 

14 the Administration under subsection (b)(1). 

15 ‘‘(b) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATOR.— 

16 ‘‘(1) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATOR.—The Asso17 ciate Administrator shall designate a senior employee 

18 of the Office of Investment and Innovation to serve as 

19 the broadband and emerging information technology 

20 coordinator, who— 

21 ‘‘(A) shall report to the Associate Adminis22 trator; 

23 ‘‘(B) shall work in coordination with— 

24 ‘‘(i) the chief information officer, the 

25 chief technology officer, and the head of the 


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1 Office of Technology of the Administration; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(ii) any other Associate Adminis4 trator of the Administration determined ap5 propriate by the Associate Administrator; 

6 ‘‘(C) has experience developing and imple7 menting telecommunications policy in the pri8 vate sector or government; and 

9 ‘‘(D) has demonstrated significant experi10 ence in the area of broadband or emerging infor11 mation technology. 

12 ‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES OF COORDINATOR.—The 

13 broadband and emerging information technology coor14 dinator shall— 

15 ‘‘(A) coordinate programs of the Adminis16 tration that assist small business concerns in 

17 adopting, making innovations in, and using 

18 broadband and other emerging information tech19 nologies; 

20 ‘‘(B) serve as the primary liaison of the Ad21 ministration to other Federal agencies involved 

22 in broadband and emerging information tech23 nology policy, including the Department of Com24 merce, the Department of Agriculture, and the 

25 Federal Communications Commission; 


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1 ‘‘(C) identify best practices relating to 

2 broadband and emerging information technology 

3 that may benefit small business concerns; and 

4 ‘‘(D) identify and catalog tools and train5 ing available through the resource partners of the 

6 Administration that assist small business con7 cerns in adopting, making innovations in, and 

8 using broadband and emerging technologies. 

9 ‘‘(3) TRAVEL.—Not more than 20 percent of the 

10 hours of service by the broadband and emerging infor11 mation technology coordinator during any fiscal year 

12 shall consist of travel outside the United States to 

13 perform official duties. 

14 ‘‘(c) BROADBAND AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

15 TRAINING.— 

16 ‘‘(1) TRAINING.—The Associate Administrator 

17 shall provide to employees of the Administration 

18 training that— 

19 ‘‘(A) familiarizes employees of the Adminis20 tration with broadband and other emerging in21 formation technologies; 

22 ‘‘(B) includes— 

23 ‘‘(i) instruction on counseling small 

24 business concerns regarding adopting, mak25 ing innovations in, and using broadband 


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1 and other emerging information tech2 nologies; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) information on programs of the 

4 Federal Government that provide assistance 

5 to small business concerns relating to 

6 broadband and emerging information tech7 nologies; and 

8 ‘‘(C) to maximum extent practicable, uses 

9 the tools and training cataloged and identified 

10 under subsection (b)(2)(D). 

11 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

12 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 

13 are necessary to carry out this subsection. 

14 ‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 

15 ‘‘(1) BIENNIAL REPORT ON ACTIVITIES.—Not 

16 later than 2 years after the date on which the Asso17 ciate Administrator makes the first designation of an 

18 employee under subsection (b), and every 2 years 

19 thereafter, the broadband and emerging information 

20 technology coordinator shall submit to the Committee 

21 on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Sen22 ate and the Committee on Small Business of the 

23 House of Representatives a report regarding the pro24 grams and activities of the Administration relating to 


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1 broadband and other emerging information tech2 nologies. 

3 ‘‘(2) IMPACT OF BROADBAND SPEED AND PRICE

4 ON SMALL BUSINESSES.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to appropria6 tions, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall con7 duct a study evaluating the impact of broadband 

8 speed and price on small business concerns. 

9 ‘‘(B) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after 

10 the date of enactment of the Small Business 

11 Broadband and Emerging Information Tech12 nology Enhancement Act of 2015, the Chief 

13 Counsel for Advocacy shall submit to the Com14 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor15 tation and the Committee on Small Business 

16 and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the 

17 Committee on Energy and Commerce and the 

18 Committee on Small Business of the House of 

19 Representatives a report on the results of the 

20 study under subparagraph (A), including— 

21 ‘‘(i) a survey of broadband speeds 

22 available to small business concerns; 

23 ‘‘(ii) a survey of the cost of broadband 

24 speeds available to small business concerns; 


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1 ‘‘(iii) a survey of the type of 

2 broadband technology used by small busi3 ness concerns; and 

4 ‘‘(iv) any policy recommendations that 

5 may improve the access of small business 

6 concerns to comparable broadband services 

7 at comparable rates in all regions of the 

8 United States.’’. 

9 SEC. 4. ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT. 

10 Section 21(c)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 

11 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)(B)) is amended— 

12 (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by insert13 ing ‘‘accessing broadband and other emerging infor14 mation technology,’’ after ‘‘technology transfer,’’; 

15 (2) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

16 (3) in clause (iii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

17 and 

18 (4) by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(iv) increasing the competitiveness and 

20 productivity of small business concerns by assist21 ing entrepreneurs in accessing broadband and 

22 other emerging information technology;’’. 


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Calendar No. 253 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2116 

A BILL 

To improve certain programs of the Small Business 

and for other purposes. customers in accessing broadband technology, Administration to better assist small business 

OCTOBER 7, 2015 

Reported with an amendment 


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