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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3218 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3218

    To improve the coordination of export promotion programs and to 
  facilitate export opportunities for small businesses, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2012

  Mrs. Shaheen (for herself and Ms. Ayotte) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, 
                       Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To improve the coordination of export promotion programs and to 
  facilitate export opportunities for small businesses, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business 
Export Growth Act of 2012''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
      TITLE I--IMPROVED COORDINATION OF EXPORT PROMOTION PROGRAMS

Sec. 101. Consolidation of duplicative export promotion activities; 
                            information about trade missions and trade 
                            fairs.
Sec. 102. Clarification of roles of members of Trade Promotion 
                            Coordinating Committee.
Sec. 103. Representative of State agencies on Trade Promotion 
                            Coordinating Committee.
Sec. 104. Reports to Congress with respect to activities of Trade 
                            Promotion Coordinating Committee.
Sec. 105. Report on improvements to Export.gov as a single window for 
                            export information.
Sec. 106. Report on developing a single window for information about 
                            export control compliance.
  TITLE II--FACILITATION OF EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Sec. 201. Definitions.
Sec. 202. Promotion of exporting.
Sec. 203. Small business export matchmaking pilot program.
Sec. 204. Export control education.
Sec. 205. Small business inter-agency task force on export financing.
Sec. 206. Availability of State resource guides on Export.gov.

      TITLE I--IMPROVED COORDINATION OF EXPORT PROMOTION PROGRAMS

SEC. 101. CONSOLIDATION OF DUPLICATIVE EXPORT PROMOTION ACTIVITIES; 
              INFORMATION ABOUT TRADE MISSIONS AND TRADE FAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2312(b) of the Export Enhancement Act of 
1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, including by 
        identifying opportunities to consolidate or co-locate offices 
        of agencies involved in such activities'' after ``export 
        financing activities'';
            (2) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) by inserting ``, including the use and 
                coordination of electronic databases,'' after ``the 
                appropriate levels and allocation of resources''; and
                    (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
                semicolon;
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7); and
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
            ``(6) to the maximum extent practicable, provide a detailed 
        listing of current and future Federal and State-led trade 
        missions, trade fairs, and related activities to ensure better 
        delivery of services to United States businesses; and''.
    (b) Availability of Information.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
make available the information on Federal and State-led trade missions, 
trade fairs, and related activities described in paragraph (6) of 
section 2312(b) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988, as added by 
subsection (a)(4) of this section, on the website Export.gov or a 
successor website.

SEC. 102. CLARIFICATION OF ROLES OF MEMBERS OF TRADE PROMOTION 
              COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

    Section 2312(c) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
4727(c)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) as 
        paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (8), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) with respect to export promotion and export financing 
        activities of each department or agency that is a member of the 
        TPCC--
                    ``(A) clearly identify and explain the role of the 
                department or agency; and
                    ``(B) describe the goals and objectives of the 
                department or agency and explain the rationale for 
                measuring and reporting on those goals and 
                objectives;'';
            (3) in paragraph (5) (as redesignated)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and Congress'' after ``the 
                President''; and
                    (B) by striking ``paragraph (3)'' and inserting 
                ``paragraph (4)'';
            (4) in paragraph (6) (as redesignated), by striking ``; 
        and'' and inserting a semicolon;
            (5) by inserting after paragraph (6) (as redesignated) the 
        following:
            ``(7) include any recommendations of the Comptroller 
        General of the United States that relate to coordination of the 
        TPCC and departments and agencies that are members of the TPCC; 
        and''; and
            (6) in paragraph (8) (as redesignated), by striking 
        ``United States National Tourism Organization'' and inserting 
        ``United States Travel Association''.

SEC. 103. REPRESENTATIVE OF STATE AGENCIES ON TRADE PROMOTION 
              COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

    Section 2312(d) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
4727(d)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) Representative of state agencies.--In addition to the 
        members specified in paragraph (1), there shall be one member 
        of the TPCC that represents State agencies with responsibility 
        for export promotion and export financing.''.

SEC. 104. REPORTS TO CONGRESS WITH RESPECT TO ACTIVITIES OF TRADE 
              PROMOTION COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

    Section 2312(f) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
4727(f)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Reports to Congress.--
            ``(1) Reports by tpcc.--The chairperson of the TPCC shall 
        prepare and submit to the appropriate congressional committees, 
        not later than March 30 of each year, a report that--
                    ``(A) describes the strategic plan developed by the 
                TPCC pursuant to subsection (c), the implementation of 
                such plan, and any revisions thereto; and
                    ``(B) describes the implementation of sections 303 
                and 304 of the FREEDOM Support Act (22 U.S.C. 5823 and 
                5824) concerning funding for export promotion 
                activities and the interagency working groups on energy 
                of the TPCC.
            ``(2) Reports by inspector general of department of 
        commerce.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Inspector General of the 
                Department of Commerce shall prepare and submit to the 
                appropriate congressional committees, not later than 
                March 30 of each year, a report on the extent to 
                which--
                            ``(i) the TPCC is successfully carrying out 
                        the duties described in subsection (b); and
                            ``(ii) the strategic plan described in 
                        subsection (c) is being implemented 
                        successfully.
                    ``(B) Consultation.--In preparing the report 
                required under subparagraph (A), the Inspector General 
                of the Department of Commerce shall, to the maximum 
                extent practicable, consult with the inspector general 
                of each other Federal department or agency that is a 
                member of the TPCC.
            ``(3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In 
        this subsection, the term `appropriate congressional 
        committees' means--
                    ``(A) the Committee on Appropriations, the 
                Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the 
                Committee on Finance, the Committee on Foreign 
                Relations, and the Committee on Small Business and 
                Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
                    ``(B) the Committee on Appropriations, the 
                Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on 
                Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
                the Committee on Small Business, and the Committee on 
                Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.''.

SEC. 105. REPORT ON IMPROVEMENTS TO EXPORT.GOV AS A SINGLE WINDOW FOR 
              EXPORT INFORMATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of International Trade of the Small 
Business Administration shall, after consultation with the entities 
specified in subsection (b), submit to the Committee on Small Business 
and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business 
of the House of Representatives a report that includes the 
recommendations of the Director for improving the experience provided 
by the website Export.gov (or a successor website) as--
            (1) a comprehensive resource for information about 
        exporting articles from the United States; and
            (2) a single website for exporters to submit all 
        information required by the Federal Government with respect to 
        the exportation of articles from the United States.
    (b) Entities Specified.--The entities specified in this subsection 
are--
            (1) small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the 
        Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) that are exporters; and
            (2) the President's Export Council, State agencies with 
        responsibility for export promotion or export financing, 
        district export councils, and trade associations.

SEC. 106. REPORT ON DEVELOPING A SINGLE WINDOW FOR INFORMATION ABOUT 
              EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 
Business Administration shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report assessing the benefits of developing a website to 
serve as--
            (1) a comprehensive resource for complying with and 
        information about the export control laws and regulations of 
        the United States; and
            (2) a single website for exporters to submit all 
        information required by the Federal Government with respect to 
        export controls.
    (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
        and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
        Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee 
        on Small Business of the House of Representatives.

  TITLE II--FACILITATION OF EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title--
            (1) the terms ``Administration'' and ``Administrator'' mean 
        the Small Business Administration and the Administrator 
        thereof, respectively;
            (2) the term ``region of the Administration'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 3(u) of the Small Business 
        Act (15 U.S.C. 632(u)); and
            (3) the term ``small business concern'' has the meaning 
        given that term under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 
        U.S.C. 632).

SEC. 202. PROMOTION OF EXPORTING.

    Section 22(c)(11) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(c)(11)) 
is amended by inserting ``, which shall include conducting not fewer 
that 1 outreach event each fiscal year in each State that promotes 
exporting as a business development opportunity for small business 
concerns'' before the semicolon.

SEC. 203. SMALL BUSINESS EXPORT MATCHMAKING PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Pilot Program Established.--The Administrator shall establish a 
pilot program to conduct, in each region of the Administration, 
matchmaking events that are designed to facilitate contact between 
small business concerns and potential foreign buyers or international 
clients.
    (b) Program.--The Administrator--
            (1) shall conduct at least 1 matchmaking event in each 
        region of the Administration each year; and
            (2) may hold a matchmaking event in coordination with an 
        outreach event required under section 22(c)(11) of the Small 
        Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(c)(11)), as amended by section 202 
        of this Act.
    (c) Sunset.--The authority of the Administrator under this section 
shall terminate on September 30, 2015.

SEC. 204. EXPORT CONTROL EDUCATION.

    Section 22 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (m); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (k) the following:
    ``(l) Export Control Education.--The Associate Administrator shall 
ensure that all programs of the Administration to support exporting by 
small business concerns place a priority on educating small business 
concerns about Federal export control regulations.''.

SEC. 205. SMALL BUSINESS INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON EXPORT FINANCING.

    The Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Export-Import 
Bank of the United States, and the Overseas Private Investment 
Corporation shall jointly establish a Small Business Inter-Agency Task 
Force on Export Financing to--
            (1) review and improve Federal export finance programs for 
        small business concerns; and
            (2) coordinate the activities of the Federal Government to 
        assist small business concerns seeking to export.

SEC. 206. AVAILABILITY OF STATE RESOURCE GUIDES ON EXPORT.GOV.

    The Secretary of Commerce shall make available on the website 
Export.gov (or a successor website) information on the resources 
relating to export promotion and export financing available in each 
State--
            (1) organized by State; and
            (2) including information on State agencies with 
        responsibility for export promotion or export financing and 
        district export councils and trade associations located in the 
        State.
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