Export Promotion Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3084
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2010-03-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Asia
Colombia
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Department of Commerce
Free trade and trade barriers
Intergovernmental relations
Latin America
Manufacturing
Panama
Rural conditions and development
Small business
South Korea
Tariffs
Technology transfer and commercialization

Summary:
action_date: 2010-03-05
text: 
Export Promotion Act of 2010 - Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in making awards for the creation and support of regional centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology, to encourage the submission of applications with significant potential for increasing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers in the global marketplace. Authorizes the Director to: (1) give a preference to such applications; and (2) consider such potential when awarding grants under the NIST's technology innovation program.
 
 Directs the Secretary of Commerce to increase the number of full-time departmental employees whose primary responsibilities involve promoting or facilitating participation by U.S. businesses in the global marketplace and facilitating the entry into, or expansion of, such participation. Requires the Secretary to ensure that global marketplace promotional activities include promoting and facilitating participation by small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses.
 
 Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Commerce's program to improve access to the global marketplace for goods and services provided by rural businesses.

action_date: 2010-09-13
text: 
Export Promotion Act of 2010 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to increase the number of full-time departmental employees whose primary responsibilities involve promoting or facilitating participation by U.S. businesses in the global marketplace and facilitating the entry into, or expansion of, such participation. Requires the Secretary to ensure that global marketplace promotional activities include promoting and facilitating participation by small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. Authorizes appropriations. 
 
 (Sec. 3) Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Commerce's program to improve access to the global marketplace for goods and services provided by rural businesses.
 
(Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary to promote or facilitate participation by U.S. businesses in the global marketplace and facilitate the entry into, or expansion of, such participation. Requires the Secretary to give preferences to activities that: (1) assist small and medium-sized businesses in the United States; and (2) will create or sustain the greatest number of jobs in the United States and obtain the maximum return on investment.
 
(Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations to expand ExporTech, a joint program of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program.
 
(Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations for the Manufacturing and Services unit of the International Trade Administration (ITA) of the Department of Commerce for the ITA's Market Development Cooperator Program. Requires, in the use of such funds, the same preference to be given to activities described in section 4, above.
 
(Sec. 7) Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in making awards for the creation and support of regional centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology, to consider whether an applicant has significant potential for enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers in the global marketplace, and to give a preference to applicants for such projects. Authorizes the Director, in making awards under the technology innovation program, to make the same consideration.
 
(Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary should enhance federal collaboration with the states on export promotion issues.
 
(Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the tariff and nontariff barriers imposed by Colombia, the Republic of Korea, and Panama with respect to exports of U.S. firms, including small and medium-sized manufacturing firms.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-13
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 560.
action_date: 2010-09-13
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-289.
action_date: 2010-09-13
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-289.
action_date: 2010-06-09
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2010-03-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1496-1497)
action_date: 2010-03-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2010-03-05
text: Introduced in Senate