I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4587 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 23, 2016 
Mr. GIBSON (for himself, Mr. HANNA, and Mr. MOULTON) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business 
A BILL 
To improve certain programs of the Small Business Adminis-
tration to better assist small business customers in ac-
cessing broadband technology, 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 
Broadband and Emerging Information Technology En-
hancement Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) According to a report by the Federal Com-
munications Commission entitled ‘‘Connecting Amer-
ica: The National Broadband Plan’’, dated March 
2010, the Commission recommends that— 
(A) ‘‘To fully implement next-generation 
technology within its operations, the SBA 
should also appoint a broadband and emerging 
IT coordinator. This individual would ensure 
that SBA programs maintain the requisite 
broadband expertise, tools and training courses 
to serve small businesses.’’; 
(B) ‘‘Congress should consider ways to le-
verage existing assistance provided through’’ 
entrepreneurial 
development 
programs, 
‘‘to 
focus training on advanced IT and broadband 
applications’’; 
(C) ‘‘Congress could also consider ways to 
support technology training among women en-
trepreneurs through’’ women’s business centers; 
(D) ‘‘The training programs should include 
an entry-level ‘Broadband 101’ course to give 
small businesses an introduction to how to cap-
italize on broadband connectivity, as well as 
more advanced applications for IT staff.’’; and 
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(E) small- and medium-enterprise ‘‘IT 
training should include resources for non-IT 
staff, such as how to use e-commerce tools for 
sales, streamline finance with online records or 
leverage knowledge management across an or-
ganization.’’. 
(2) According to a report by the Broadband 
Opportunity Council, dated August 20, 2015, the 
availability of and access to broadband technology 
enables— 
(A) greater civic participation, by providing 
tools for open government and streamlining 
government process; 
(B) changes in how people access edu-
cational resources, collaborate in the edu-
cational process, conduct research, and continue 
to learn anytime, anyplace, and at any pace; 
(C) improved healthcare access, treat-
ments, and information; 
(D) new business models that create busi-
ness efficiencies, drive job creation, and connect 
manufacturers and store-fronts to clients and 
partners worldwide; and 
(E) bringing communities together and im-
provements to public safety, creating a greener 
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planet, and make transportation systems more 
resilient and efficient. 
(3) According to a report entitled ‘‘The State of 
the App Economy’’, dated October 2014— 
(A) ‘‘More than three-quarters of the high-
est grossing apps are produced by startups and 
small companies.’’; and 
(B) ‘‘Seventy-eight percent of the leading 
app companies are located outside Silicon Val-
ley.’’. 
(4) According to a report entitled, ‘‘Developer 
Economics Q1 2015: State of the Developer Na-
tion’’, dated February 2015, ‘‘The emergence of the 
app industry over the past eight years has grown to 
a $120 billion economy.’’. 
SEC. 3. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION TECH-
NOLOGY COORDINATOR. 
The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 47 as section 48; 
and 
(2) by inserting after section 46 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 47. BROADBAND AND EMERGING INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
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‘‘(1) the term ‘Associate Administrator’ means 
the Associate Administrator for the Office of Invest-
ment and Innovation; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘broadband and emerging infor-
mation technology coordinator’ means the employee 
designated to carry out the broadband and emerging 
information technology coordination responsibilities 
of the Administration under subsection (b)(1). 
‘‘(b) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATOR.— 
‘‘(1) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATOR.—The As-
sociate Administrator shall designate a senior em-
ployee of the Office of Investment and Innovation to 
serve as the broadband and emerging information 
technology coordinator, who— 
‘‘(A) shall report to the Associate Adminis-
trator; 
‘‘(B) shall work in coordination with— 
‘‘(i) the chief information officer, the 
chief technology officer, and the head of 
the Office of Technology of the Adminis-
tration; and 
‘‘(ii) any other Associate Adminis-
trator of the Administration determined 
appropriate by the Associate Adminis-
trator; 
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‘‘(D) identify and catalog tools and train-
ing available through the resource partners of 
the Administration that assist small business 
concerns in adopting, making innovations in, 
and using broadband and emerging tech-
nologies. 
‘‘(3) TRAVEL.—Not more than 20 percent of 
the hours of service by the broadband and emerging 
information technology coordinator during any fiscal 
year shall consist of travel outside the United States 
to perform official duties. 
‘‘(c) BROADBAND
AND
EMERGING
TECHNOLOGY 
TRAINING.— 
‘‘(1) TRAINING.—The Associate Administrator 
shall provide to employees of the Administration 
training that— 
‘‘(A) familiarizes employees of the Admin-
istration with broadband and other emerging 
information technologies; 
‘‘(B) includes— 
‘‘(i) instruction on counseling small 
business 
concerns 
regarding 
adopting, 
making innovations in, and using broad-
band and other emerging information tech-
nologies; and 
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‘‘(ii) information on programs of the 
Federal Government that provide assist-
ance to small business concerns relating to 
broadband and emerging information tech-
nologies; and 
‘‘(C) to the maximum extent practicable, 
uses the tools and training cataloged and iden-
tified under subsection (b)(2)(D). 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as are necessary to carry out this subsection. 
‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) BIENNIAL REPORT ON ACTIVITIES.—Not 
later than 2 years after the date on which the Asso-
ciate Administrator makes the first designation of 
an employee under subsection (b), and every 2 years 
thereafter, the broadband and emerging information 
technology coordinator shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of 
the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of 
the House of Representatives a report regarding the 
programs and activities of the Administration relat-
ing to broadband and other emerging information 
technologies. 
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‘‘(2) IMPACT OF BROADBAND SPEED AND PRICE 
ON SMALL BUSINESSES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to appropria-
tions, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall con-
duct a study evaluating the impact of broad-
band speed and price on small business con-
cerns. 
‘‘(B) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of the Small Busi-
ness Broadband and Emerging Information 
Technology Enhancement Act of 2015, the 
Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall submit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation and the Committee on Small Business 
and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce and the 
Committee on Small Business of the House of 
Representatives a report on the results of the 
study under subparagraph (A), including— 
‘‘(i) a survey of broadband speeds 
available to small business concerns; 
‘‘(ii) a survey of the cost of broadband 
speeds available to small business con-
cerns; 
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‘‘(iii) a survey of the type of broad-
band technology used by small business 
concerns; and 
‘‘(iv) any policy recommendations that 
may improve the access of small business 
concerns to comparable broadband services 
at comparable rates in all regions of the 
United States.’’. 
SEC. 4. ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT. 
Section 21(c)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 648(c)(3)(B)) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by insert-
ing ‘‘accessing broadband and other emerging infor-
mation technology,’’ after ‘‘technology transfer,’’; 
(2) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(3) in clause (iii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iv) increasing the competitiveness and 
productivity of small business concerns by as-
sisting entrepreneurs in accessing broadband 
and other emerging information technology;’’. 
Æ 
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