I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1606 
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business Program, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2023 
Mr. SCHNEIDER (for himself, Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas, Mr. MCGARVEY, and 
Mr. ELLZEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Small Business 
A BILL 
To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to 
Business Program, 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 ‘‘Veteran Entrepreneur-
ship Training Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM. 
Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
657b) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.— 
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‘‘(3) GOALS.—The goals of the Boots to Busi-
ness Program are to— 
‘‘(A) provide assistance and in-depth train-
ing to covered individuals interested in business 
ownership; and 
‘‘(B) provide covered individuals with the 
tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to identify 
a business opportunity, draft a business plan, 
identify sources of capital, connect with local 
resources for small business concerns, and start 
up a small business concern. 
‘‘(4) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Boots to Busi-
ness Program may include— 
‘‘(i) a presentation providing exposure 
to the considerations involved in self-em-
ployment and ownership of a small busi-
ness concern; 
‘‘(ii) an online, self-study course fo-
cused on the basic skills of entrepreneur-
ship, the language of business, and the 
considerations involved in self-employment 
and ownership of a small business concern; 
‘‘(iii) an in-person classroom instruc-
tion component providing an introduction 
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to the foundations of self employment and 
ownership of a small business concern; and 
‘‘(iv) 
in-depth 
training 
delivered 
through online instruction, including an 
online course that leads to the creation of 
a business plan. 
‘‘(B) 
COLLABORATION.—The 
Adminis-
trator may— 
‘‘(i) collaborate with public and pri-
vate entities to develop course curricula for 
the Boots to Business Program; and 
‘‘(ii) modify program components in 
coordination with entities participating in a 
Warriors in Transition program, as defined 
in section 738(e) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 
(10 U.S.C. 1071 note). 
‘‘(C) USE OF RESOURCE PARTNERS AND 
DISTRICT OFFICES.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall— 
‘‘(I) ensure that Veteran Busi-
ness Outreach Centers regularly par-
ticipate, on a nationwide basis, in the 
Boots to Business Program; and 
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‘‘(II) to the maximum extent 
practicable, use district offices of the 
Administration and a variety of other 
resource partners and entities in ad-
ministering the Boots to Business 
Program. 
‘‘(ii) GRANT AUTHORITY.—In carrying 
out clause (i), the Administrator may make 
grants to Veteran Business Outreach Cen-
ters, other resource partners, or other enti-
ties to carry out components of the Boots 
to Business Program. 
‘‘(D) AVAILABILITY TO DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.— 
The Administrator shall make available to the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Labor information regarding the Boots to Busi-
ness Program, including all course materials 
and outreach materials related to the Boots to 
Business Program, for inclusion on the websites 
of the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of Labor relating to the Transition Assist-
ance Program, in the Transition Assistance 
Program manual, and in other relevant mate-
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rials available for distribution from the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor. 
‘‘(E) AVAILABILITY TO DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.—In consultation with the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Adminis-
trator shall make available for distribution and 
display on the website of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs and at local facilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs outreach mate-
rials regarding the Boots to Business Program, 
which shall, at a minimum— 
‘‘(i) describe the Boots to Business 
Program and the services provided; and 
‘‘(ii) include eligibility requirements 
for participating in the Boots to Business 
Program. 
‘‘(F) AVAILABILITY
TO
OTHER
PARTICI-
PATING
AGENCIES.—The Administrator shall 
ensure information regarding the Boots to 
Business program, including all course mate-
rials and outreach materials related to the 
Boots to Business Program, is made available 
to other participating agencies in the Transition 
Assistance Program and upon request of other 
agencies. 
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‘‘(5) COMPETITIVE
BIDDING
PROCEDURES.— 
The Administration shall use relevant competitive 
bidding procedures with respect to any contract or 
cooperative agreement executed by the Administra-
tion under the Boots to Business Program. 
‘‘(6) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF FUNDING OP-
PORTUNITY.—Not later than 30 days before the 
deadline for submitting applications for any funding 
opportunity under the Boots to Business Program, 
the Administration shall publish a notice of the 
funding opportunity. 
‘‘(7) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, and not 
less frequently than annually thereafter, the Admin-
istrator shall 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 on the performance and ef-
fectiveness of the Boots to Business Program, 
which— 
‘‘(A) may be included as part of another 
report submitted to such committees by the Ad-
ministrator related to the Office of Veterans 
Business Development; and 
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‘‘(B) shall summarize available information 
relating to— 
‘‘(i) grants awarded under paragraph 
(4)(C); 
‘‘(ii) the total cost of the Boots to 
Business Program; 
‘‘(iii) the number of program partici-
pants using each component of the Boots 
to Business Program; 
‘‘(iv) the completion rates for each 
component of the Boots to Business Pro-
gram; 
‘‘(v) to the extent possible— 
‘‘(I) the demographics of pro-
gram participants, to include gender, 
age, race, ethnicity, and relationship 
to military; 
‘‘(II) the number of program 
participants that connect with a dis-
trict office of the Administration, a 
Veteran Business Outreach Center, or 
another resource partner of the Ad-
ministration; 
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‘‘(III) the number of program 
participants that start a small busi-
ness concern; 
‘‘(IV) the results of the Boots to 
Business and Boots to Business 
Reboot course quality surveys con-
ducted by the Office of Veterans Busi-
ness Development before and after at-
tending each of those courses, includ-
ing a summary of any comments re-
ceived from program participants; 
‘‘(V) the results of the Boots to 
Business Program outcome surveys 
conducted by the Office of Veterans 
Business Development, including a 
summary of any comments received 
from program participants; and 
‘‘(VI) the results of other ger-
mane participant satisfaction surveys; 
‘‘(C) an evaluation of the overall effective-
ness of the Boots to Business Program based 
on each geographic region covered by the Ad-
ministration during the most recent fiscal year; 
‘‘(D) an assessment of additional perform-
ance outcome measures for the Boots to Busi-
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ness Program, as identified by the Adminis-
trator; 
‘‘(E) any recommendations of the Adminis-
trator for improvement of the Boots to Busi-
ness Program, which may include expansion of 
the types of individuals who are covered individ-
uals; 
‘‘(F) an explanation of how the Boots to 
Business Program has been integrated with 
other transition programs and related resources 
of the Administration and other Federal agen-
cies; and 
‘‘(G) any additional information the Ad-
ministrator determines necessary.’’. 
Æ 
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