Title: Continuity of Business Operations Support Act of 2020
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
Continuity of Business Operations Support Act of 2020
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide grants to small business development centers, women's business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives to educate and advise small businesses on specified matters related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
The SBA must establish goals and metrics for the use of such funds awarded to small business development centers, which shall (1) consider the extent of the circumstances relating to the spread of COVID-19 that affect small businesses served by grant recipients, (2) ensure grant recipients have the flexibility to respond to unique situations, and (3) encourage grant recipients to develop and provide services to small businesses in areas substantially affected by COVID-19.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6349 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6349

  To establish grant programs for small business development centers, 
women's business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired 
      Executives in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 23, 2020

  Mr. Golden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Small Business

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish grant programs for small business development centers, 
women's business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired 
      Executives in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Continuity of Business Operations 
Support Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER GRANTS.

    (a) Small Business Development Center Grants.--The Administrator of 
the Small Business Administration shall provide grants to small 
business development centers for the purposes described in subsection 
(b).
    (b) Use of Funds.--Grant funds under this section shall be used to 
educate, train, and advise owners and employees of small business 
concerns on the following matters:
            (1) The hazards of and prevention of the transmission and 
        communication of COVID-19 and similar communicable diseases.
            (2) The potential effects to the supply chains, 
        distribution, and sale of products of the concern, and the 
        mitigation of such effects, during a period of a public health 
        emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar 
        communicable disease.
            (3) The management and practice of telework or remote 
        customer service by electronic or other means to reduce 
        possible transmission of COVID-19 and other communicable 
        diseases.
            (4) The risks and mitigation of cyber threats in remote 
        customer service or telework practices.
            (5) The mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or 
        outside activities during a period of a public health emergency 
        declared because of COVID-19 or a similar communicable disease.
            (6) Business continuity plans during a period of a public 
        health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar 
        communicable disease.
            (7) Any other relevant business practices necessary to 
        mitigate any economic effects experienced during a period of a 
        public health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a 
        similar communicable disease.
    (c) Formula.--The Administrator and the association authorized 
under section 21(a)(3)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
648(a)(3)(A)) shall jointly establish a formula under which grants 
under this section shall be awarded.
    (d) Metrics and Goals.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator and the association 
        described in subsection (c) shall jointly establish goals and 
        metrics for the use of funds made available under this section. 
        Such goals and metrics shall--
                    (A) consider the extent of the circumstances 
                relating to the spread of COVID-19 or a similar 
                communicable disease that affect small business 
                concerns served by each grant recipient, particularly 
                rural areas or economically distressed areas;
                    (B) ensure grant recipients comply with the 
                requirements of subsection (b) while also ensuring that 
                grant recipients may have flexibility in responding to 
                unique situations; and
                    (C) encourage grant recipients to develop and 
                provide services to small business concerns that are 
                located in areas substantially affected by COVID-19.
            (2) Public availability.--The Administrator shall make 
        publicly available the methodology by which the Administrator 
        and the association jointly developed the metrics and goals 
        described in paragraph (1).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $75,000,000, to remain available until expended, to the 
Administrator to carry out this section.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER AND SERVICE CORPS OF 
              RETIRED EXECUTIVES GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration shall provide grants to women's business centers and to 
chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives for the purposes 
described in subsection (b).
    (b) Use of Funds.--Grant funds under this section shall be used to 
educate, train, and advise owners and employees of small business 
concerns on the following matters:
            (1) The hazards of and prevention of the transmission and 
        communication of COVID-19 and similar communicable diseases.
            (2) The potential effects to the supply chains, 
        distribution, and sale of products of the concern, and the 
        mitigation of such effects, during a period of a public health 
        emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar 
        communicable disease.
            (3) The management and practice of telework or remote 
        customer service by electronic or other means to reduce 
        possible transmission of COVID-19 and other communicable 
        diseases.
            (4) The risks and mitigation of cyber threats in remote 
        customer service or telework practices.
            (5) The mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or 
        outside activities during a period of a public health emergency 
        declared because of COVID-19 or a similar communicable disease.
            (6) Business continuity plans during a period of a public 
        health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a similar 
        communicable disease.
            (7) Any other relevant business practices necessary to 
        mitigate any economic effects experienced during a period of a 
        public health emergency declared because of COVID-19 or a 
        similar communicable disease.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $25,000,000, to remain available until expended, to the 
Administrator to carry out this section.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

     Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter until the amounts authorized in section 2(c) 
and section 1(e) have been expended, the Administrator 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 that--
            (1) describes, with respect to the initial year covered by 
        the report, the programs and services developed and provided by 
        the Administrator, small business development centers, women's 
        business centers, and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired 
        Executives in response to a public health emergency declared 
        because of COVID-19; and
            (2) describes, with respect to the subsequent years covered 
        by the report--
                    (A) the efforts of the Administrator, small 
                business development centers, women's business centers, 
                and chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives 
                to develop services to assist small business concerns 
                affected by COVID-19;
                    (B) the challenges faced by owners of small 
                business concerns in accessing services provided by the 
                Administrator, small business development centers, 
                women's business centers, and chapters of the Service 
                Corps of Retired Executives in response to a public 
                health emergency declared because of COVID-19;
                    (C) the number of unique small business concerns 
                that were served by the Administrator, small business 
                development centers, women's business centers, and 
                chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives 
                under the programs established by this Act; and
                    (D) other relevant performance data with respect to 
                small business concerns affected by COVID-19, including 
                the number of employees affected, the effect on sales 
                of the concern, any disruptions of supply chains, and 
                the efforts made by the Administrator, small business 
                development centers, women's business centers, and 
                chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives (as 
                applicable) to mitigate these effects.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
            (2) Service corps of retired executives.--The term 
        ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' means the Service Corps 
        of Retired Executives established under section 8(b)(1)(B) of 
        the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)).
            (3) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
        concern'' has the meaning given under section 3 of the Small 
        Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
            (4) Small business development center.--The term ``small 
        business development center'' has the meaning given in section 
        3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
            (5) Women's business center.--The term ``women's business 
        center'' means a women's business center as described under 
        section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656).
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