Small Business Export Growth Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-25
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2015-01-06
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits

Congressional oversight

Executive agency funding and structure

Government information and archives

Government studies and investigations

Small business

State and local government operations

Trade restrictions

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2015-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-01-06
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Small Business Export Growth Act of 2015</b></p> <p> Amends the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to revise the duties of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC).</p> <p>Requires the TPCC to: (1) identify opportunities to consolidate or co-locate offices of federal agencies involved in export promotion and export financing activities; (2) assess the use and coordination of electronic databases among federal agencies in support of such activities; and (3) provide a detailed listing of current and future federal and state-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities to ensure better delivery of services to U.S. businesses.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary of Commerce to make available information on federal and state-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities on the Export.gov website.</p> <p>Requires the governmentwide strategic plan for federal trade promotion efforts to: (1) clearly identify and explain the role, goals, and objectives of each agency represented on the TPCC with respect its export promotion and export financing activities; (2) include any recommendations of the Comptroller General relating to coordination of the agencies represented on the TPCC; and (3) reflect the recommendations of the U.S. Travel Association (currently, U.S. National Tourism Organization) to the degree considered appropriate by the TPCC.</p> <p>Directs the President to establish a State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group as a subcommittee of the TPCC to develop a strategy for improving coordination of federal and state resources for small business export promotion and export financing activities.</p> <p>Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on the extent to which the TPCC is successfully carrying out its duties.</p> <p>Requires the Associate Administrator for International Trade of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to report to Congress on recommendations for improving the experience of the Export.gov website as a comprehensive export information resource and a single website for exporters to submit all federally required information on the exportation of articles from the United States.</p> <p>Amends the Small Business Act to require that the nationwide marketing effort of the Associate Administrator, in promoting sales opportunities for the export of small business goods and services, to conduct at least one outreach event each fiscal year in each state.</p> <p>Directs the SBA Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to establish jointly a Small Business Inter-Agency Task Force on Export Financing.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 25 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 6, 2015 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself and Ms. Ayotte ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To improve the coordination of export promotion programs and to facilitate export opportunities for small businesses, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Small Business Export Growth Act of 2015 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. TITLE I—Improved coordination of export promotion programs Sec. 101. Consolidation of duplicative export promotion activities; information about trade missions and trade fairs. Sec. 102. Clarification of roles of members of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee. Sec. 103. State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group. Sec. 104. Reports to Congress with respect to activities of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee. Sec. 105. Report on improvements to Export.gov as a single window for export information. TITLE II—Facilitation of export opportunities for small businesses Sec. 201. Promotion of exporting. Sec. 202. Export control education. Sec. 203. Small Business Interagency Task Force on Export Financing. Sec. 204. Availability of State resource guides on Export.gov. I Improved coordination of export promotion programs 101. Consolidation of duplicative export promotion activities; information about trade missions and trade fairs (a) In general Section 2312(b) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(b)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (4), by inserting , including by identifying opportunities to consolidate or co-locate offices of agencies involved in such activities after export financing activities ; (2) in paragraph (5)— (A) by inserting , including the use and coordination of electronic databases, after the appropriate levels and allocation of resources ; and (B) by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (3) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7); and (4) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following: (6) to the maximum extent practicable, provide a detailed listing of current and future Federal and State-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities to ensure better delivery of services to United States businesses; and . (b) Availability of information The Secretary of Commerce shall make available the information on Federal and State-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities described in paragraph (6) of section 2312(b) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988, as added by subsection (a)(4), on the Internet website Export.gov or a successor website. 102. Clarification of roles of members of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee Section 2312(c) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 ( 15 U.S.C. 4727(c) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (8), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) with respect to export promotion and export financing activities of each department or agency represented on the TPCC— (A) clearly identify and explain the role of the department or agency; and (B) describe the goals and objectives of the department or agency and explain the rationale for measuring and reporting on those goals and objectives; ; (3) in paragraph (5), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— (A) by inserting and Congress after the President ; and (B) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting paragraph (4) ; (4) in paragraph (6), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (5) by inserting after paragraph (6), as redesignated by paragraph (1), the following: (7) include any recommendations of the Comptroller General of the United States that relate to coordination of the TPCC and departments and agencies that are represented on the TPCC; and ; and (6) in paragraph (8), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking United States National Tourism Organization and inserting United States Travel Association . 103. State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group Subtitle C of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 ( 15 U.S.C. 4721 et seq. ) is amended by inserting after section 2313 the following: 2313A. State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group (a) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to promote exports as an opportunity for small businesses. In exercising their powers and functions in order to advance that policy, all Federal departments and agencies shall work constructively with State and local agencies engaged in export promotion and export financing activities. (b) Establishment The President shall establish a State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group (in this section referred to as the Working Group ) as a subcommittee of the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee (in this section referred to as the TPCC ). (c) Purposes The purposes of the Working Group are— (1) to identify issues related to the coordination of Federal resources relating to export promotion and export financing with such resources provided by State and local governments; (2) to identify ways to improve coordination with respect to export promotion and export financing activities through the strategic plan developed under section 2312(c); (3) to develop a strategy for improving coordination of Federal and State resources relating to export promotion and export financing, including methods to eliminate duplication of effort and overlapping functions; and (4) to develop a strategic plan for considering and implementing the Working Group’s suggestions as part of the strategic plan developed under section 2312(c). (d) Membership The Secretary of Commerce shall select the members of the Working Group, who shall include— (1) representatives from State trade agencies representing regionally diverse areas; and (2) representatives of the departments and agencies that are represented on the TPCC, who are designated by the heads of their respective departments or agencies to advise the head on ways of promoting the exportation of United States goods and services. . 104. Reports to Congress with respect to activities of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee Section 2312(f) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 ( 19 U.S.C. 4727(f) ) is amended to read as follows: (f) Reports to Congress (1) Reports by TPCC The chairperson of the TPCC shall prepare and submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than March 30 of each year, a report that— (A) describes the strategic plan developed by the TPCC pursuant to subsection (c), the implementation of the plan, and any revisions to the plan; and (B) describes the implementation of sections 303 and 304 of the FREEDOM Support Act (22 U.S.C. 5823 and 5824) concerning funding for export promotion activities and the interagency working groups on energy of the TPCC. (2) Reports by Inspector General of Department of Commerce (A) In general The Inspector General of the Department of Commerce shall prepare and submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than March 30 of each year, a report on the extent to which— (i) the TPCC is successfully carrying out the duties described in subsection (b); and (ii) the strategic plan described in subsection (c) is being implemented successfully. (B) Consultation In preparing the report required under subparagraph (A), the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce shall, to the maximum extent practicable, consult with the inspector general of each other Federal department or agency that is a member of the TPCC. (3) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Small Business, and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives. . 105. Report on improvements to Export.gov as a single window for export information (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Associate Administrator for International Trade of the Small Business Administration shall, after consultation with the entities specified in subsection (b), submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes the recommendations of the Associate Administrator for improving the experience provided by the Internet website Export.gov (or a successor website) as— (1) a comprehensive resource for information about exporting articles from the United States; and (2) a single website for exporters to submit all information required by the Federal Government with respect to the exportation of articles from the United States. (b) Entities specified The entities specified in this subsection are— (1) small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) that are exporters; and (2) the President's Export Council, State agencies with responsibility for export promotion or export financing, district export councils, and trade associations. (c) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. II Facilitation of export opportunities for small businesses 201. Promotion of exporting Section 22(c)(11) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 649(c)(11) ) is amended by inserting , which shall include conducting not fewer that 1 outreach event each fiscal year in each State that promotes exporting as a business development opportunity for small business concerns before the semicolon. 202. Export control education Section 22 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 649 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (m); and (2) by inserting after subsection (k) the following: (l) Export control education The Associate Administrator shall ensure that all programs of the Administration to support exporting by small business concerns place a priority on educating small business concerns about Federal export control regulations. . 203. Small Business Interagency Task Force on Export Financing (a) In general The Administrator of the Small Business Administration, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation shall jointly establish a Small Business Inter-Agency Task Force on Export Financing to— (1) review and improve Federal export finance programs for small business concerns; and (2) coordinate the activities of the Federal Government to assist small business concerns seeking to export. (b) Small business concern In this section, the term small business concern has the meaning given that term under section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ). 204. Availability of State resource guides on Export.gov The Secretary of Commerce shall make available on the Internet website Export.gov (or a successor website) information on the resources relating to export promotion and export financing available in each State— (1) organized by State; and (2) including information on State agencies with responsibility for export promotion or export financing and district export councils and trade associations located in the State.