I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3771 

To amend the Small Business Act to establish mentorship and assistance 

programs designed to help minority, veteran-owned, and women-owned 

small businesses operate in the construction industry, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 8, 2009 

Ms. CLARKE (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. 

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. DAVIS

of Illinois, Mr. HARE, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. MEEKS of New 

York, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. 

BORDALLO, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CUELLAR, Mrs. 

CHRISTENSEN, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Ms. RICHARDSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small 

Business 

A BILL 

To amend the Small Business Act to establish mentorship 

and assistance programs designed to help minority, veteran-owned, and women-owned small businesses operate 

in the construction industry, 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. FINDINGS. 

4 The Congress finds as follows: 


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1 (1) The construction industry often serves as a 

2 preferred entry point for emerging small businesses, 

3 including those undertaken by minorities, women 

4 and veterans, which may conduct business as con5 tractors, specialty trade contractors, suppliers, fab6 ricators, vendors or a myriad of other businesses 

7 serving the needs of the construction industry. 

8 (2) Construction provides rewarding careers, 

9 but is a challenging and competitive business envi10 ronment that demands specialized knowledge and 

11 skill sets of business owners, especially small and 

12 emerging businesses owned by minorities, women, 

13 and veterans, who may be underrepresented or dis14 advantaged or who have given service unselfishly to 

15 their country. 

16 SEC. 2. MENTORSHIP AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR MI17 NORITY, VETERAN-OWNED, AND WOMEN18 OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES WITH RESPECT 

19 TO CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 

20 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. 

21 The Small Business Act is amended by redesignating 

22 section 44 as section 45 and by inserting after section 43 

23 the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 44. MENTORSHIP AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR 

2 MINORITY, VETERAN-OWNED, AND WOMEN3 OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES WITH RESPECT 

4 TO CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 

5 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. 

6 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall estab7 lish programs for the purpose of assisting eligible small 

8 business concerns to gain access to the specialized knowl9 edge and professional services needed to operate business 

10 concerns in the construction industry, enhance their ca11 pacities and their qualifications for financial and surety 

12 credit, and access and compete for construction con13 tracting opportunities. 

14 ‘‘(b) GRANTS TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERN15 MENTS.—The Administrator may make grants to State 

16 and local government entities to assist such entities— 

17 ‘‘(1) to establish or expand mentorship and as18 sistance programs designed to carry out the pur19 poses of this section; 

20 ‘‘(2) to identify problems and solutions regard21 ing eligible small business concerns in the construc22 tion industry; 

23 ‘‘(3) to establish performance criteria and ob24 jectives with respect to the mentoring and assistance 

25 programs; 


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1 ‘‘(4) to encourage the involvement of relevant 

2 industry trade associations to partner with State 

3 and local government entities to carry out the pur4 poses of this section; 

5 ‘‘(5) to establish and fund State and local grant 

6 programs for universities, colleges, community col7 leges and vocational/technical schools, and for busi8 ness leagues or for similar not for profit entities that 

9 conduct business or executive training programs to 

10 develop and administer a standing curriculum bene11 fitting owners and executives of eligible small busi12 ness concerns and focused on business, financial ac13 counting, and risk management courses addressing 

14 the operation of small business concerns in the con15 struction industry; and 

16 ‘‘(6) to establish and fund State and local grant 

17 programs to award eligible small business concerns 

18 grants of not more than $15,000 each to pay for the 

19 services of legal, accounting, and other business con20 sultants to prepare such concerns for qualifying for 

21 financial and surety credit. 

22 ‘‘(c) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator shall 

23 provide support and resources to State and local govern24 ment entities receiving assistance under this section, inVerDate Nov 24 2008 00:29 Oct 09, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771

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1 cluding training and marketing materials and assistance 

2 in joint marketing and outreach campaigns. 

3 ‘‘(d) ELIGIBLE SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS.—For 

4 purposes of this section, the term ‘eligible small business 

5 concern’ means— 

6 ‘‘(1) any small business concern owned and con7 trolled by women (as defined in section 3(n)); 

8 ‘‘(2) any socially and economically disadvan9 taged small business concern (as defined in section 

10 8(a)(4)); and 

11 ‘‘(3) any small business concern owned and con12 trolled by veterans (as defined in section 3(q)), espe13 cially service-disabled veterans (as defined in such 

14 section). 

15 ‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Entities receiving assist16 ance under this section shall report annually to the Ad17 ministrator on their activities under this section. 

18 ‘‘(f) FUNDING.—There are authorized to be appro19 priated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 

20 section.’’. 

Æ 


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