IIB 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3537 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
NOVEMBER 14, 2019 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship 
AN ACT 
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, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Entrepreneur-
ship Training Act of 2019’’. 
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 new 
subsection: 
‘‘(h) BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘covered individual’ means— 
‘‘(A) a member of the Armed Forces, in-
cluding the National Guard or Reserves; 
‘‘(B) an individual who is participating in 
the Transition Assistance Program established 
under section 1144 of title 10, United States 
Code; 
‘‘(C) an individual who— 
‘‘(i) served on active duty in any 
branch of the Armed Forces, including the 
National Guard or Reserves; and 
‘‘(ii) was discharged or released from 
such service under conditions other than 
dishonorable; and 
‘‘(D) a spouse or dependent of an indi-
vidual described in subparagraph (A), (B), or 
(C). 
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‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—Beginning on the first 
October 1 after the enactment of this subsection and 
for the subsequent 4 fiscal years, the Administrator 
shall carry out a program to be known as the ‘Boots 
to Business Program’ to provide entrepreneurship 
training to covered individuals. 
‘‘(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; 
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‘‘(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 
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.— 
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‘‘(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 
‘‘(II) to the maximum extent 
practicable, use a variety of other re-
source partners and entities in admin-
istering the Boots to Business Pro-
gram. 
‘‘(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.—The 
Administrator 
shall 
make 
available to the Secretary of Defense informa-
tion regarding the Boots to Business Program, 
including all course materials and outreach ma-
terials related to the Boots to Business Pro-
gram, for inclusion on the website of the De-
partment of Defense relating to the Transition 
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Assistance Program, in the Transition Assist-
ance Program manual, and in other relevant 
materials available for distribution from the 
Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(E) AVAILABILITY
TO
VETERANS
AF-
FAIRS.—In consultation with the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, the Administrator shall make 
available for distribution and display at local fa-
cilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
outreach materials regarding the Boots to Busi-
ness 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. 
‘‘(5) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this subsection and 
every year thereafter, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepre-
neurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
Business of the House of Representatives a report 
on the performance and effectiveness of the Boots to 
Business Program, which may be included as part of 
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another report submitted to such Committees by the 
Administrator, and which shall include— 
‘‘(A) information regarding grants award-
ed under paragraph (4)(C); 
‘‘(B) the total cost of the Boots to Busi-
ness Program; 
‘‘(C) the number of program participants 
using each component of the Boots to Business 
Program; 
‘‘(D) the completion rates for each compo-
nent of the Boots to Business Program; 
‘‘(E) to the extent possible— 
‘‘(i) the demographics of program par-
ticipants, to include gender, age, race, rela-
tionship to military, military occupational 
specialty, and years of service of program 
participants; 
‘‘(ii) the number of small business 
concerns formed or expanded with assist-
ance under the Boots to Business Pro-
gram; 
‘‘(iii) the gross receipts of small busi-
ness concerns receiving assistance under 
the Boots to Business Program; 
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‘‘(H) any recommendations of the Admin-
istrator for improvement of the Boots to Busi-
ness Program, which may include expansion of 
the types of individuals who are covered individ-
uals; 
‘‘(I) 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 
‘‘(J) any additional information the Ad-
ministrator determines necessary.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives November 13, 
2019. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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