BRIDGE Act
Bill: H.R.1701 | Sponsor: Rep. Miller, Carol D. (R-WV)
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance

Summary:
Building Rural Investments, Development, and Growth for the Economy Act or the BRIDGE Act
This bill requires the Department of Commerce and the Department of State to promote the export of goods and services by small- and medium-sized businesses from, and facilitate business investment in, rural areas of the United States. A rural area is an area with a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants that is outside an urbanized area.

To promote exports of goods and services from and facilitation of 
        business investment in rural areas of the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Building Rural Investments, 
Development, and Growth for the Economy Act'' or the ``BRIDGE Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS RELATING TO ATTRACTING BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND EXPORT 
              PROMOTION.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Business investment in the United States by both 
        domestic and foreign firms, whether in the form of new 
        equipment or facilities or the expansion of existing 
        facilities, is a major engine of economic growth and job 
        creation. Increasing exports from and investment in rural areas 
        will expand the United States economy and create United States 
        jobs.
            (2) Rural areas often have greater challenges in attracting 
        business investment, especially because rural areas do not 
        always have economic development organizations to advance their 
        local economic interests. When a rural area does have a local 
        economic development organization, it may not have the capacity 
        or funding to compete effectively with larger rivals worldwide.
            (3) Due to their geographic location, rural United States 
        businesses often have limited access to information and 
        services that facilitate export success.

SEC. 3. PROMOTION OF EXPORTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES FROM AND 
              FACILITATION OF BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN RURAL AREAS OF THE 
              UNITED STATES.

    The Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4701 note) is amended 
by inserting after section 2306 the following new section:

``SEC. 2306A. PROMOTION OF EXPORTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES FROM AND 
              FACILITATION OF BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN RURAL AREAS OF THE 
              UNITED STATES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of 
State shall promote the export of goods and services from rural areas 
of the United States, particularly by small businesses and medium-sized 
businesses, and shall facilitate business investment in the United 
States, particularly in rural areas.
    ``(b) Relationship to Championing American Business Through 
Diplomacy Act.--The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State 
shall carry out subsection (a) in a manner consistent with the purposes 
of the Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act (22 U.S.C. 
9901 et seq.).
    ``(c) Rural Area Defined.--In this section the term `rural area' 
means an area with a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants that is 
outside an urbanized area, as determined by the most recent decennial 
census.''.
                                 <all>