jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-07-11 00:00:00

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.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-07-11 00:00:00

Small Business Liability Reform Act of 2007 - Allows punitive damages against a small business only if the claimant establishes by clear and convincing evidence that conduct carried out by the defendant with a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of others was the proximate cause of the harm that is the subject of the action. States that in any civil action against a small business: (1) each defendant shall be liable only for the amount of noneconomic loss allocated to that defendant in direct proportion to the percentage of responsibility of that defendant for the harm caused to the plaintiff; and (2) the court shall render a separate judgment against each defendant describing such percentage of responsibility.Excepts from such liability limitations specified misconduct of a defendant.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-07-12 00:00:00

Microloan Amendments and Modernization Act - Title I: Microloan - (Sec. 101) Amends the Small Business Act with regard to the Microloan program (a program administered by the Small Business Administration [SBA] to provide small-scale loans to startup, newly established, or growing small businesses for working capital or the acquisition of materials, supplies, or equipment) to require the SBA Administrator to establish a process under which a lender provides to the major credit reporting agencies information about the borrower that is relevant to credit reporting (such as loan payment activity). (Sec. 102) Removes the requirement that Microloan loans be short-term only. (Sec. 103) Requires Microloan loan intermediaries to have one full-time employee who has at least three years experience making microloans. (Sec. 104) Increases from $7,500 to $10,000 the limit for loans made to intermediaries that will receive a reduced interest rate. (Sec. 105) Increases from 25% to 35% of grant funds received by Microloan intermediaries the amount that may be used to provide information and technical assistance to small businesses that are prospective borrowers. (Sec. 106) Includes disabled entrepreneurs and small business owners under the Microloan program. Title II: PRIME - Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act or PRIME Act - (Sec. 202) Directs the Administrator to establish a technical assistance and capacity building grant program to provide assistance to microenterprises (small businesses with fewer than five employees and generally lacking access to conventional loans, equity, or other banking services) through grants to qualified microenterprise development organizations. Requires the Administrator to ensure that at least 50% of the grants made are used to benefit very low-income persons, including those residing on Indian reservations. Provides a 50% matching funds requirement, with an exception for applicants with severe constraints on available sources of matching funds. Outlines recordkeeping requirements for organizations receiving grants. Requires such organizations to report annually to the Administrator on its activities, financial condition, and success in meeting performance goals. (Sec. 203) Repeals provisions of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 which established a Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME).
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-07-27 00:00:00

Extends through December 15, 2007, under the same terms and conditions, the authorization for any program, authority, or provision, including any pilot program, that is currently authorized through July 31, 2007, under the Small Business Act or the Small Business Investment Act of 1958.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-08-03 00:00:00

Tax Fairness for Small Business Act of 2007- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an accelerated five-year amortization period for goodwill and other business intangibles acquired from certain small businesses (businesses whose average three-year gross receipts do not exceed $5 million) after December 31, 2006. Limits the amount eligible for such amortization to $5 million.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-10-17 00:00:00

Small Business Programs Act of 2007 - Amends the Small Business Act (the Act) to reauthorize for FY2008-FY2009 certain small business assistance programs of the Small Business Administration (SBA) authorized under the Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, including: (1) a disaster mitigation pilot program; (2) general and start-up small business loans; (3) certified development company (CDC) financing; (4) disaster loans; (5) the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE); and (6) grants to microloan program intermediaries and technical assistance providers. Reauthorizes for such fiscal years: (1) the businessLINC grants program; (2) the small business development center (SBDC) program; (3) the women's business center program; (4) the HUBZone (heavily underutilized business zone) program; (5) the Office of Veterans Business Development; (6) the Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs; and (7) the National Women's Business Council.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-10-17 00:00:00

Small Business Growth and Opportunity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from 10 to seven years the period during which certain built-in gains of subchapter S corporations are subject to tax.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-10-18 00:00:00

Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the work opportunity tax credit, the new markets tax credit, and the tax credit for increasing research activities; (2) make permanent accelerated depreciation of qualified leasehold improvement and restaurant property and expensing of environmental remediation expenditures; (3) increase the partial tax exclusion of gain from sales of certain small business stock for noncorporate business taxpayers and businesses in an empowerment zone; (4) permit certain small businesses to elect taxable years ending between April and November; (5) increase the allowable number of S corporation shareholders from 100 to 150; and (6) exempt certain small businesses from the 3% withholding requirement applicable to payments made to such businesses by government entities.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-11-15 00:00:00

Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to deem a small business a qualified HUBZone (heavily underutilized business zone) small business if such small business has certified to the Administrator that: (1) it is not currently a HUBZone small business; (2) its principal office is located in a census tract adjacent to a HUBZone; (3) at least 35% of the employees reside in a HUBZone; and (4) it meets current SBA requirements applicable to qualified HUBZone small businesses.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-11-15 00:00:00

Amends the Small Business Act relating to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (a program under which a portion of a federal agency's research or research and development funds are reserved for award to small businesses) to require certain program directives issued for the general conduct of SBIR programs within the federal government to provide, among other things, that an agency may increase to specified levels amounts awarded in the first and second phases of the SBIR Program. Requires such amounts be adjusted once every five years to reflect economic adjustments and programmatic considerations.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-12-04 00:00:00

Extends through May 23, 2008, under the same terms and conditions, the authorization for any program, authority, or provision, including any pilot program, that is currently authorized through December 15, 2007, under the Small Business Act or the Small Business Investment Act of 1958.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-12-06 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2010 increased depreciation allowances for certain business and investment property located in the Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) (through 2011 for nonresidential real property or residential rental property in the GO Zone); (2) extend through 2012 special rules relating to the depreciation of buildings in the GO Zone; (3) extend through 2010 the tax credit for rehabilitation expenditures in the GO Zone; (4) increase the new markets tax credit limitation in 2008 and 2009 for investments in community development entities serving the GO Zone; (5) extend through 2012, and increase the authority for, tax-exempt bond financing for bonds issued by Louisiana or a political subdivision thereof; (6) authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to expand an area designated as a renewal community; and (7) extend through 2012 the period for designating areas located in the GO Zone as renewal communities. Amends the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 to extend for an additional two years the hiring period of employees in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area for purposes of the work opportunity tax credit.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-12-12 00:00:00

Small Business Regulatory Improvement Act - Revises the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Defines the "economic impact" of a rule to include any direct or indirect economic effects on small entities. Requires initial regulatory flexibility analyses of a proposed rule to contain a detailed statement describing the type of small entities to which the proposed rule will apply.Revises provisions requiring the publication by each agency of a plan for the periodic review of its rules that have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities to determine whether they should be continued, changed, or rescinded, including to: (1) limit to two years the amount of time the period for reviewing an agency's regulations may be extended; and (2) require each agency to report annually on review results to Congress and to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).Requires an agency to notify the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration of any draft rules that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities either: (1) when the agency submits a draft rule to the such Office, if submission is required; or (2) if no submission to the Office is so required, at a reasonable time before publication of the rule by the agency.Requires that final regulatory flexibility analyses include the agency's response to any comments filed on a rule by the Chief Counsel and a detailed statement of any changes made as a result.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Congress
Date: 2008-01-17 00:00:00

Legislative Branch Recognizes the Value of Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Act of 2008 - Requires each official responsible for entering into procurement contracts for goods and services for a legislative branch office to ensure that at least 3% of the aggregate value of all contracts entered into during a fiscal year is attributable to contracts awarded to eligible disabled veterans small businesses. Defines "eligible disabled veterans small business" as a small business concern listed on the database maintained by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as a small business concern owned and controlled by a veteran with a service-connected disability.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2008-01-22 00:00:00

Small Business Expensing Temporary Expansion Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the expensing allowance for small business depreciable assets to $500,000 between 2008 and 2011; (2) increase the threshold for reductions in the expensing allowance to $2 million between 2008 and 2011; and (3) adjust such higher expensing amounts for inflation between 2008 and 2011.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-01-29 00:00:00

Small Business Telework Promotion Act -Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out a competitive grant program to raise awareness about telework among small business employers and to encourage such employers to offer telework options to employees. Requires the Administrator to make special efforts to conduct outreach to businesses owned by or employing individuals with disabilities, particularly service-disabled veterans, as well as agencies, groups, or organizations that aid such individuals. Terminates such program at the end of FY2009.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-03-04 00:00:00

Inclusion of Veteran Service Organizations in the National Veterans Business Development Corporation Board Act - Amends Small Business Act provisions establishing a National Veterans Business Development Corporation (Corporation) to: (1) increase from 9 to 11 the number of Corporation voting members; (2) require the chairmen of the congressional small business and veterans' committees to appoint 4 of the 11 voting members, who shall be representatives of a congressionally chartered veterans' service organization or military service organization; (3) prohibit any member of the Corporation's Board of Directors from serving after the expiration of their term; (4) provide for the removal of Board members; (5) require all Board meetings to be public; and (6) require notification to Corporation stakeholders of Board meetings and agendas.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-04-01 00:00:00

Women's Business Ownership Act of 2008 - Establishes the Commission on Women's Business Ownership to review and make recommendations concerning: (1) the status of women business owners nationwide, and the progress made since the 1980 White House Conference on Small Business; (2) the role of the federal government in aid to and promotion of women business owners; and (3) data collection procedures with regard to women-owned businesses and federal initiatives and procurement.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-04-15 00:00:00

Science and Technology Innovation Act of 2008 - Amends the Small Business Act to: (1) extend through FY2010 the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs; (2) increase SBIR and STTR set-asides and award levels; (3) prohibit a small business from being excluded from SBIR or STTR program participation due to being owned by more than one equity provider, as long as no single equity provider owns more than 49% of such business; (4) require agency database updates in order to support SBIR and STTR program evaluation and technology utilization; (5) establish an Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee; (6) allow federal agencies to use up to 3% of their SBIR funds for the payment of administrative costs; (7) allow SBIR technical assistance to include the implementation of manufacturing processes and production strategies for utilization; (8) allow federal agencies participating in the SBIR program to enter into agreements with the technical extension or assistance programs of other federal agencies in order to provide small business technical assistance; and (9) increase expenditure limits for the provision of such technical assistance.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-05-15 00:00:00

HUBZone Equity for Distressed Communities Act - Amends Small Business Act provisions relating to HUBZones (historically underutilized business zones) to define "qualified suburban area" as any village, city, town, or economic development area governed by a public authority, district, or other unit of general local government, located in a county that includes, or is located in, a metropolitan statistical area and that meets certain low income or high unemployment qualifications.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-05-21 00:00:00

Small Business Regulatory Equity Act of 2008 - Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to report to Congress on the Comptroller General's analysis of the impacts of federal regulations on businesses with 15 or fewer, 16 to 35, and 36 to 50 employees. Requires the report to detail the cost and impacts of federally mandated, state-administered regulations, the time such businesses must spend working with agencies attempting to obtain written responses to their written questions, the time that passes between submitting such questions and receiving responses, how long projects are delayed by federal regulations, and how long it takes small business to obtain permits from federal agencies. Requires the report to cover, and treat separately, direct impacts such as wages, time, and fees spent on compliance and indirect impacts such as cash flow, sales, and competitiveness.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-06-09 00:00:00

Small Business Information Security Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish the Small Business Information Security Task Force to address the information technology security needs of small businesses. Requires the Task Force, among other duties, to make recommendations to the Administrator on the establishment of an Internet website to be used by the SBA to receive and dispense information and resources with respect to such needs.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-06-10 00:00:00

Improving Veterans' Opportunity in Education and Business Act of 2008 - Requires that, if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs enters into a contract or other arrangement, on or after June 1, 2007, to acquire goods or services (or both), the Secretary shall include in such contract or arrangement a requirement that the contractee comply with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contracting goals and preferences with respect to small businesses owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans. Directs the Secretary to modify current contracts and arrangements to comply with requirements of this Act. Requires the Secretary to conduct a five-year pilot project to test the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of VA workstudy activities to include workstudy positions available on site at educational institutions, including positions in academic departments and in student services. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program of job training in skills relevant to the job market for discharged veterans who are either currently not paid at more than 150% of the federal minimum wage, or: (1) had a military occupational specialty of limited transferability to the civilian job market; (2) are not otherwise eligible for veterans' education or training services; (3) have not acquired a marketable skill since leaving military service; (4) were discharged under conditions not less than honorable; and (5) have been unemployed for at least 90 of the previous 180 days. Designates the program as the MOST (military occupational specialty transition) Program. Directs the Secretary to contract with employers to provide programs of apprenticeship on on-job training for such veterans. Limits such payments to $20,000 per veteran and 24 months in duration. Requires quarterly employer reports certifying wages paid to such veterans. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Secretary to describe Program activities within a currently-required annual report by the Veterans Benefits Administration.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2008-07-16 00:00:00

Invest in Small Business Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the exclusion from gross income of the gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock from 50 to 100% of such gain and reduce the holding period for such stock from five to three years; (2) disqualify stock held by members of a 25% controlled group of corporations for such tax exclusion; (3) repeal gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock as an item of tax preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax; (4) repeal the maximum 28% tax rate on gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock; and (5) increase to $100 million (adjusted for inflation after 2009) the aggregate asset limitation for determining eligibility of the stock of corporations for qualified small business stock tax treatment.