II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3196 

To establish the National Women’s High-Growth Business Bipartisan Task 

Force, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 17, 2012 

Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Ms. LANDRIEU) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business 

and Entrepreneurship 

A BILL 

To establish the National Women’s High-Growth Business 

Bipartisan Task Force, 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 Women’s 

5 High-Growth Business Bipartisan Task Force Act of 

6 2012’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act— 


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1 (1) the terms ‘‘Administration’’ and ‘‘Adminis2 trator’’ mean the Small Business Administration 

3 and the Administrator thereof, respectively; 

4 (2) the term ‘‘Task Force’’ means the National 

5 Women’s High-Growth Business Bipartisan Task 

6 Force established under section 3; and 

7 (3) the term ‘‘small business concern owned 

8 and controlled by women’’ has the meaning given 

9 that term in section 3(n) of the Small Business Act 

10 (15 U.S.C. 632(n)). 

11 SEC. 3. NATIONAL WOMEN’S HIGH-GROWTH BUSINESS BI12 PARTISAN TASK FORCE. 

13 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Na14 tional Women’s High-Growth Business Bipartisan Task 

15 Force, which shall serve as an independent source of ad16 vice, research, and policy recommendations to— 

17 (1) the Administrator; 

18 (2) the Assistant Administrator of the Office of 

19 Women’s Business Ownership of the Administration; 

20 (3) Congress; 

21 (4) the President; and 

22 (5) other Federal departments and agencies. 

23 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

24 (1) NUMBER OF MEMBERS.—The Task Force 

25 shall be composed of 15 members, of which— 


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1 (A) 8 shall be individuals who own small 

2 business concerns owned and controlled by 

3 women, including not fewer than 2 individuals 

4 who own small business concerns owned and 

5 controlled by women in industries in which 

6 women are traditionally underrepresented; 

7 (B) 2 shall be individuals having expertise 

8 conducting research on women’s business, wom9 en’s entrepreneurship, new business develop10 ment by women, and high-growth business de11 velopment; and 

12 (C) 5 shall be individuals who represent 

13 women’s business organizations, including wom14 en’s business centers and women’s business ad15 vocacy groups. 

16 (2) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.— 

17 (A) OWNERS OF SMALL BUSINESS CON18 CERNS OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY

19 WOMEN.—Of the members of the Task Force 

20 described in paragraph (1)(A)— 

21 (i) 2 shall be appointed by the Chair22 person of the Committee on Small Busi23 ness and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; 

24 (ii) 2 shall be appointed by the Rank25 ing Member of the Committee on Small 


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1 Business and Entrepreneurship of the Sen2 ate; 

3 (iii) 2 shall be appointed by the Chair4 person of the Committee on Small Busi5 ness of the House of Representatives; and 

6 (iv) 2 shall be appointed by the Rank7 ing Member of the Committee on Small 

8 Business of the House of Representatives. 

9 (B) OTHER MEMBERS.—The members of 

10 the Task Force described in subparagraphs (B) 

11 and (C) of paragraph (1) shall be appointed by 

12 the Administrator. 

13 (C) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—The individ14 uals described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) 

15 shall appoint the initial members of the Task 

16 Force not later than 90 days after the date of 

17 enactment of this Act. 

18 (D) GEOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS.—In 

19 making an appointment under this paragraph, 

20 the individuals described in subparagraphs (A) 

21 and (B) shall give consideration to the geo22 graphic areas of the United States in which the 

23 members of the Task Force live and work, par24 ticularly to ensure that rural areas are rep25 resented on the Task Force. 


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1 (E) POLITICAL AFFILIATION.—Not more 

2 than 8 members of the Task Force may be 

3 members of the same political party. 

4 (3) CHAIRPERSON.— 

5 (A) ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON.—The 

6 members of the Task Force shall elect 1 mem7 ber of the Task Force as Chairperson of the 

8 Task Force. 

9 (B) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the posi10 tion of Chairperson of the Task Force shall be 

11 filled by the Task Force at the first meeting of 

12 the Task Force after the date on which the va13 cancy occurs. 

14 (4) TERM OF SERVICE.— 

15 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

16 subparagraph (B), the term of service of each 

17 member of the Task Force shall be 3 years. 

18 (B) TERMS OF INITIAL APPOINTEES.—Of 

19 the members of the Task Force first appointed 

20 after the date of enactment of this Act— 

21 (i) 6 shall be appointed for a term of 

22 4 years, including— 

23 (I) 1 member appointed by the 

24 individuals described in each of 


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1 clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) of para2 graph (2)(A); and 

3 (II) 2 members appointed by the 

4 Administrator; and 

5 (ii) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 

6 5 years, including— 

7 (I) 1 member appointed by the 

8 individuals described in each of 

9 clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) of para10 graph (2)(A); and 

11 (II) 1 member appointed by the 

12 Administrator. 

13 (5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Task Force 

14 shall be filled not later than 30 days after the date 

15 on which the vacancy occurs, in the manner in which 

16 the original appointment was made, and shall be 

17 subject to any conditions that applied to the original 

18 appointment. An individual chosen to fill a vacancy 

19 shall be appointed for the unexpired term of the 

20 member replaced. 

21 (6) PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL EMPLOY22 MENT.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

24 subparagraph (B), no member of the Task 


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1 Force may serve as an officer or employee of 

2 the United States. 

3 (B) EXCEPTION.—A member of the Task 

4 Force who accepts a position as an officer or 

5 employee of the United States after appoint6 ment to the Task Force may continue to serve 

7 on the Task Force for not more than 30 days 

8 after the date of such acceptance. 

9 (7) COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.— 

10 (A) NO COMPENSATION.—Each member of 

11 the Task Force shall serve without compensa12 tion. 

13 (B) EXPENSES.—The Administrator shall 

14 reimburse the members of the Task Force for 

15 travel and subsistence expenses in accordance 

16 with section 5703 of title 5, United States 

17 Code. 

18 (c) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall— 

19 (1) review and monitor plans and programs de20 veloped in the public and private sectors that affect 

21 the ability of small business concerns owned and 

22 controlled by women to obtain capital and credit and 

23 to access markets, and provide advice on improving 

24 coordination between such plans and programs; 


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1 (2) monitor and promote the plans, programs, 

2 and operations of the Federal departments and 

3 agencies that contribute to the formation and devel4 opment of small business concerns owned and con5 trolled by women, and make recommendations to 

6 Federal departments and agencies concerning the 

7 coordination of such plans, programs, and oper8 ations; 

9 (3) develop and promote initiatives, policies, 

10 programs, and plans designed to encourage the for11 mation of startups and high-growth small business 

12 concerns owned and controlled by women; 

13 (4) advise the Administrator on the develop14 ment and implementation of an annual comprehen15 sive plan for joint efforts by the public and private 

16 sectors to facilitate the formation and development 

17 of startups and high-growth small business concerns 

18 owned and controlled by women; and 

19 (5) examine the link between women who own 

20 small business concerns and intellectual property, in21 cluding— 

22 (A) the number of patents, trademarks, 

23 and copyrights granted to women; and 

24 (B) the challenges faced by high-growth 

25 small business concerns owned and controlled 


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1 by women in obtaining and enforcing intellec2 tual property rights. 

3 (d) POWERS.— 

4 (1) HEARINGS.—The Task Force may hold 

5 such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, 

6 take such testimony, and receive such evidence as 

7 the Task Force considers advisable to carry out its 

8 duties. 

9 (2) TASK GROUPS.—The Task Force may, from 

10 time to time, establish temporary task groups, as 

11 necessary to carry out the duties of the Task Force. 

12 (3) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 

13 Upon request of the Chairperson of the Task Force, 

14 the head of any Federal department or agency shall 

15 furnish such information to the Task Force as the 

16 Task Force considers necessary to carry out its du17 ties. 

18 (4) USE OF MAILS.—The Task Force may use 

19 the United States mails in the same manner and 

20 under the same conditions as Federal departments 

21 and agencies. 

22 (5) GIFTS.—The Task Force may accept, use, 

23 and dispose of gifts or donations of services or prop24 erty. 

25 (e) MEETINGS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force shall 

2 meet— 

3 (A) not less than 3 times each year; 

4 (B) at the call of the Chairperson; and 

5 (C) upon the request of— 

6 (i) the Administrator; 

7 (ii) the Chairperson and Ranking 

8 Member of the Committee on Small Busi9 ness and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; 

10 or 

11 (iii) the Chairperson and Ranking 

12 Member of the Committee on Small Busi13 ness of the House of Representatives. 

14 (2) PARTICIPATION OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 

15 (A) PARTICIPATION ENCOURAGED.—The 

16 Task Force shall allow and encourage participa17 tion in meetings by representatives from Fed18 eral agencies. 

19 (B) FUNCTIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES OF

20 FEDERAL AGENCIES.—A representative from a 

21 Federal agency— 

22 (i) may be used as a resource; and 

23 (ii) may not vote or otherwise act as 

24 a member of the Task Force. 


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1 (3) LOCATION.—Each meeting of the full Task 

2 Force shall be held at the headquarters of the Ad3 ministration, unless, not later than 1 month before 

4 the meeting, a majority of the members of the Task 

5 Force agree to meet at another location. 

6 (4) SUPPORT BY ADMINISTRATOR.—The Ad7 ministrator shall provide suitable meeting facilities 

8 and such administrative support as may be nec9 essary for each full meeting of the Task Force. 

10 (f) REPORTS.— 

11 (1) REPORTS BY TASK FORCE.— 

12 (A) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than 

13 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, the 

14 Task Force shall submit to the President and 

15 to the Committee on Small Business and Entre16 preneurship of the Senate and the Committee 

17 on Small Business of the House of Representa18 tives, a report containing— 

19 (i) a detailed description of the activi20 ties of the Task Force, including a report 

21 on how the Task Force has carried out the 

22 duties described in subsection (c); 

23 (ii) the findings and recommendations 

24 of the Task Force; and 


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1 (iii) the recommendations of the Task 

2 Force for— 

3 (I) promoting intellectual prop4 erty rights for high-growth small busi5 ness concerns owned and controlled by 

6 women; and 

7 (II) such legislative and adminis8 trative actions as the Task Force con9 siders appropriate to promote the for10 mation and development of small busi11 ness concerns owned and controlled by 

12 women. 

13 (B) FORM OF REPORTS.—The report re14 quired under subparagraph (A) shall include— 

15 (i) any concurring or dissenting views 

16 of the Administrator; and 

17 (ii) the minutes of each meeting of the 

18 Task Force. 

19 (2) REPORTS BY CHIEF COUNSEL FOR ADVO20 CACY.— 

21 (A) STUDIES.— 

22 (i) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently 

23 than twice each year, the Chief Counsel for 

24 Advocacy of the Small Business Adminis25 tration, in consultation with the Task 


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1 Force, shall conduct a study of an issue 

2 that is important to small business con3 cerns owned and controlled by women. 

4 (ii) TOPICS.—The topic of a study 

5 under clause (i) shall— 

6 (I) be an issue that the Task 

7 Force determines is critical to fur8 thering the interests of small business 

9 concerns owned and controlled by 

10 women; and 

11 (II) relate to— 

12 (aa) Federal prime contracts 

13 and subcontracts awarded to 

14 small business concerns owned 

15 and controlled by women; 

16 (bb) access to credit and in17 vestment capital by women entre18 preneurs; 

19 (cc) acquiring and enforcing 

20 intellectual property rights; or 

21 (dd) any other issue relating 

22 to small business concerns owned 

23 and controlled by women that the 

24 Task Force determines is appro25 priate. 


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1 (iii) CONTRACTING.—In conducting a 

2 study under this subparagraph, the Chief 

3 Counsel may contract with a public or pri4 vate entity. 

5 (B) REPORT.—The Chief Counsel for Ad6 vocacy shall— 

7 (i) submit a report containing the re8 sults of each study under subparagraph 

9 (A) to the Task Force, the Committee on 

10 Small Business and Entrepreneurship of 

11 the Senate, and the Committee on Small 

12 Business of the House of Representatives; 

13 and 

14 (ii) make each report submitted under 

15 clause (i) available to the public online. 

16 (g) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Section 

17 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 

18 App.) shall not apply to the Task Force. 

19 SEC. 4. REPEAL. 

20 (a) FINAL REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days after 

21 the date of enactment of this Act— 

22 (1) the Interagency Committee on Women’s 

23 Business Enterprise shall submit to the President 

24 and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepre25 neurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 


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1 Business of the House of Representatives a report 

2 containing the information described in paragraphs 

3 (1), (2), and (3) of section 404 of the Women’s 

4 Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 7104), 

5 as in effect on the day before the date of enactment 

6 of this Act; and 

7 (2) the National Women’s Business Council 

8 shall submit to the President and the Committee on 

9 Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate 

10 and the Committee on Small Business of the House 

11 of Representatives a report containing the informa12 tion described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of 

13 section 406(d)(6) of the Women’s Business Owner14 ship Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 7106), as in effect on 

15 the day before the date of enactment of this Act. 

16 (b) REPEAL.—The Women’s Business Ownership Act 

17 of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) is amended by striking title 

18 IV (15 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.). 

19 (c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

20 The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amend21 ed— 

22 (1) in section 8(b)(1)(G) (15 U.S.C. 

23 637(b)(1)(G)), by striking ‘‘and to carry out the ac24 tivities authorized by title IV of the Women’s Busi25 ness Ownership Act of 1988’’; and 


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1 (2) in section 29(g) (15 U.S.C. 656(g))— 

2 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘women’s 

3 business enterprises (as defined in section 408 

4 of the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 

5 1988 (15 U.S.C. 631 note))’’ and inserting 

6 ‘‘small business concerns owned and controlled 

7 by women’’; and 

8 (B) in paragraph (2)(B)(ii)— 

9 (i) in subclause (VI), by adding ‘‘and’’ 

10 at the end; 

11 (ii) in subclause (VII), by striking the 

12 semicolon at the end and inserting a pe13 riod; and 

14 (iii) by striking subclauses (VIII), 

15 (IX), and (X). 

16 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

17 subsections (b) and (c) shall take effect 90 days after the 

18 date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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