SBA Trade Programs Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-2992
Sponsor: Rep. Hall, John J. [D-NY-19]
Introduced: 2007-07-11 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Civil actions and liability
Congressional reporting requirements
Counseling
Entrepreneurs
Export finance
Exports
Federal employees
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign trade promotion
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Intellectual property
Law
Loans
Metropolitan areas
Nongovernmental organizations
Patent infringement
Patents
Recruiting of employees
Small Business Administration
Small business
Social Welfare
Trade adjustment assistance
Trade negotiations
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: 
SBA Trade Programs Act of 2007 - Amends the Small Business Act to require the director of the Office of International Trade (Office) within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to: (1) present recommendations regarding small business exporters to trade negotiators; (2) develop trade policies that support small businesses in domestic and foreign markets; (3) implement trade policies through relationships developed with federal trade policymakers and transnational organizations; (4) establish programs to boost exports of entrepreneurs and encourage transnational organizations to support and publicize such programs; (5) notify the congressional small business committees of pending strategic alliances; (6) develop and maintain a small business trade strategy; (7) develop a system to track small business exports and the use by small businesses of federal trade promotion resources; (8) design a program that provides technical assistance, counseling services, and reference materials to assist small businesses in navigating the trade dispute and remedy processes; (9) establish a comprehensive set of services to assist small business trade readjustment; and (10) carry out a national study to compare the rates of exports from each state and major metropolitan region to the availability of SBA staff participating in Export Assistance Centers in such state or region. Requires the Office to: (1) design counseling services for small businesses taking legal action to secure their rights to domestic patents in foreign countries; and (2) increase the number of trade finance specialists at Export Assistance Centers.
 
Directs the SBA to increase outreach and marketing of international trade loans to district offices and private lenders.
 
Increases SBA business loan limits for small and medium-sized exporters participating in export working capital and international trade programs.

action_date: 2007-09-04
text: 
SBA Trade Programs Act of 2007 - 
Title I: Small Business Trade Policy 
- (Sec. 101) Amends the Small Business Act to require the director of the Office of International Trade (Office) within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to: (1) present recommendations regarding small business exporters to trade negotiators; (2) develop trade policies that support small businesses in domestic and foreign markets; (3) implement trade policies through relationships developed with federal trade policymakers and transnational organizations; (4) establish programs to boost exports of entrepreneurs and encourage transnational organizations to support and publicize such programs; (5) notify the congressional small business committees of pending strategic alliances; and (6) engage in follow-up activities for strategic alliances increasing trade opportunities for small businesses.
 
(Sec. 102) Requires the director to: (1) develop and maintain a small business trade strategy that is contributed as part of the National Export Strategy developed by the Department of Commerce; and (2) report such strategy to the small business committees.
 
(Sec. 103) Requires the director to develop a system to track small business exports and the use by small businesses of federal trade promotion resources.
 

Title II: Trade Compliance Programs 
- (Sec. 201) Requires the director to design a program that provides technical assistance, counseling services, and reference materials to assist small businesses in navigating the trade dispute and remedy processes.
 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Office to design counseling services for small businesses taking legal action to secure intellectual property protection in foreign countries.
 

Title III: Trade Adjustment Assistance for Small Businesses 
- (Sec. 301) Directs the SBA to increase outreach and marketing of international trade loans to district offices and private lenders.
 
(Sec. 302) Requires the director to establish a comprehensive set of services to assist small business trade readjustment.
 

Title IV: Export Assistance 
- (Sec. 401) Directs the Office to increase by at least six the number of trade finance specialists at Export Assistance Centers. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the director to carry out a national study to compare the rates of exports from each state and major metropolitan region to the availability of SBA staff participating in Export Assistance Centers in such state or region.
 
(Sec. 402) Increases SBA loan limits for small and medium-sized exporters participating in export working capital and international trade programs.
 

Title V: Authorization of Appropriations 
- (sec. 501) Authorizes appropriations.

action_date: 2007-09-04
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on September 4, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
SBA Trade Programs Act of 2007 - 
Title I: Small Business Trade Policy 
- (Sec. 101) Amends the Small Business Act to require the director of the Office of International Trade (Office) within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to: (1) present recommendations regarding small business exporters to trade negotiators; (2) develop trade policies that support small businesses in domestic and foreign markets; (3) implement trade policies through relationships developed with federal trade policymakers and transnational organizations; (4) establish programs to boost exports of entrepreneurs and encourage transnational organizations to support and publicize such programs; (5) notify the congressional small business committees of pending strategic alliances; and (6) engage in follow-up activities for strategic alliances increasing trade opportunities for small businesses.
 
(Sec. 102) Requires the director to: (1) develop and maintain a small business trade strategy that is contributed as part of the National Export Strategy developed by the Department of Commerce; and (2) report such strategy to the small business committees.
 
(Sec. 103) Requires the director to develop a system to track small business exports and the use by small businesses of federal trade promotion resources.
 

Title II: Trade Compliance Programs 
- (Sec. 201) Requires the director to design a program that provides technical assistance, counseling services, and reference materials to assist small businesses in navigating the trade dispute and remedy processes.
 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Office to design counseling services for small businesses taking legal action to secure intellectual property protection in foreign countries.
 

Title III: Trade Adjustment Assistance for Small Businesses 
- (Sec. 301) Directs the SBA to increase outreach and marketing of international trade loans to district offices and private lenders.
 
(Sec. 302) Requires the director to establish a comprehensive set of services to assist small business trade readjustment.
 

Title IV: Export Assistance 
- (Sec. 401) Directs the Office to increase by at least six the number of trade finance specialists at Export Assistance Centers. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the director to carry out a national study to compare the rates of exports from each state and major metropolitan region to the availability of SBA staff participating in Export Assistance Centers in such state or region.
 
(Sec. 402) Increases SBA loan limits for small and medium-sized exporters participating in export working capital and international trade programs.
 

Title V: Authorization of Appropriations 
- (sec. 501) Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-05
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H10026-10027)
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H10026-10027)
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2992.
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10026-10029)
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Ms. Velazquez moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 198.
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 110-312.
action_date: 2007-09-04
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 110-312.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Hearings Held by Committee on Small Business Prior to Introduction and Referrel (July 5, 2007)..
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in House