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103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 626
To establish a Small Business Manufacturing Extension Service, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 26, 1993
Mr. OLVER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To establish a Small Business Manufacturing Extension
Service, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Small Business Manu-
facturing Extension Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
The Director of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Director’’)
shall establish a Small Business Manufacturing Extension
Service (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Extension Serv-
ice’’).
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of the Extension Service shall be to co-
ordinate and improve efforts to help small and medium-
sized manufacturers to increase their competitiveness and
efficiency through improved equipment, processes, and
practices. In order to achieve such purpose, the Extension
Service shall—
(1) assess the needs of manufacturers;
(2) serve as a central clearinghouse, in order to
make available to such manufacturers in a coordi-
nated manner relevant Federal and other resources,
including—
(A) available manufacturing equipment
and processes encompassing the highest level of
technology appropriate to the manufacturer;
(B) appropriate energy efficiency tech-
nologies;
(C) technologies and practices to achieve
waste reduction;
(D) workforce development programs and
other educational resources;
(E) modern management techniques to im-
prove productivity, quality, and customer satis-
faction; and
(F) financing; and
(3) encourage sources of credit by informing
lending institutions of appropriate opportunities for
investment in the manufacturing industry and by
matching lending institutions with manufacturers.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OFFICES.
(a) PUBLIC NOTICE.—Within 6 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue a
public notice soliciting applications under this section.
(b) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—Eligible applicants for
grants under this section shall be regional groups that
shall include substantial participation by private manufac-
turing industries and may include—
(1) educational institutions;
(2) Manufacturing Technology Centers estab-
lished under section 25 of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k);
(3) Small Business Development Centers;
(4) lending institutions;
(5) labor organizations; and
(6) State and local government officials.
(c) APPLICATIONS.—Each application under this sec-
tion shall outline a strategy for efficiently accomplishing
the purpose stated in section 3 through one or more exten-
sion agents, who shall be full-time employees and may be
located at educational institutions, State or local agencies,
or nonprofit organizations.
(d) GRANTS.—Within one year after the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Director shall award grants on
a competitive basis to at least—
(1) 50 applicants; or
(2) one half of the bona fide applicants under
this section,
for establishing extension offices. Each such grant shall
be for a period of 2 years.
SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Within 3 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Direc-
tor shall submit a report to Congress evaluating the effec-
tiveness of the Extension Service.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Direc-
tor for carrying out this Act $120,000,000 for the period
encompassing fiscal years 1994 through 1998.
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