(1) Federal, State, and local governments spend 
billions of dollars annually on the Nation’s transpor-
tation needs; 
(2) congestion on the Nation’s roads costs lost 
work time and increased fuel consumption; 
(3) on average, on-road vehicles contribute 34 
percent of nitrogen oxides emissions; 
(4) it is estimated that staying at home to work 
requires 3 times less energy consumption than com-
muting to work; 
(5) the average travel time to work is 25 min-
utes each way; 
(6) telework reduces the volume of peak com-
muter traffic, thereby reducing traffic congestion 
and air pollution; 
(7) the Nation’s communities can benefit from 
telework, which gives workers more time to spend at 
home with their families; 
(8) it is in the national interest to raise aware-
ness within the small business community of 
telework options for employees; 
(9) the small business community can benefit 
from offering telework options to employees because 
such options make it easier for small employers to 
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retain valued employees and employees with irre-
placeable institutional memory; 
(10) companies with telework programs have 
found that telework can boost employee productivity 
5 percent to 20 percent, thereby saving businesses 
valuable resources and time; 
(11) individuals with disabilities, including serv-
ice-disabled veterans, who own or are employed by 
small businesses could benefit from telework to their 
workplaces; 
(12) telework has the potential to provide more 
employment opportunities in rural communities; and 
(13) telework is seen as a valuable tool in dis-
aster preparedness and business continuity. 
SEC. 3. SMALL BUSINESS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration shall carry out a competitive 
grant program under this section to raise awareness about 
telework among small business employers and to encour-
age such employers to offer telework options to employees. 
(b) SPECIAL OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DIS-
ABILITIES.—In carrying out the program, the Adminis-
trator shall make special efforts to conduct outreach to— 
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(1) businesses owned by or employing individ-
uals with disabilities, and service-disabled veterans 
in particular; 
(2) Federal, State, and local agencies having 
knowledge and expertise in assisting individuals with 
disabilities or service-disabled veterans; and 
(3) any group or organization, the primary pur-
pose of which is to aid individuals with disabilities 
or service-disabled veterans. 
(c) 
PERMISSIBLE
ACTIVITIES.—Funds 
received 
under a grant may be used only to— 
(1) produce educational materials and conduct 
presentations designed to raise awareness in the 
small business community of the benefits and the 
ease of telework; 
(2) conduct outreach— 
(A) to small business concerns that are 
considering offering telework options; and 
(B) to entities described in subsection (b); 
and 
(3) acquire telework technologies and equip-
ment to be used for demonstration purposes. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than the end 
of fiscal year 2009, the Administrator shall transmit to 
the Committee on Small Business of the House of Rep-
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resentatives and the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report containing the 
results of an evaluation of the program and any rec-
ommendations as to whether the program, with or without 
modification, should be extended. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘disability’’ has the same meaning 
as in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102); and 
(2) the term ‘‘telework’’ means the performance 
of any portion of work functions by an employee out-
side the normal place of business under cir-
cumstances which reduce or eliminate the need to 
commute. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 
program under this section shall terminate at the end of 
fiscal year 2009. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Small Business Ad-
ministration $5,000,000 to carry out this section. 
Æ 
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