lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-07-21 00:00:00

Superstorm Sandy Relief and Disaster Loan Program Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 3) This bill amends the Small Business Act to authorize a small business, homeowner, nonprofit entity, or renter that was located within a declared major disaster area during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 to apply for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan to: (1) repair, rehabilitate, or replace property damaged or destroyed because of the storm; or (2) assist a small business that suffered substantial economic injury because of it.

The SBA must select loan recipients and make such loans available for at least one year after the date on which it begins carrying out this authority.

The SBA Inspector General must review the controls for ensuring applicant eligibility for these loans.

(Sec. 4) SBA physical disaster loans may be used to construct a safe room or similar storm shelter designed to protect property and occupants from tornadoes or other natural disasters, if they are constructed in accordance with applicable standards issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

(Sec. 5) The SBA shall make a clear and concise notification on all application materials for SBA disaster loans and on relevant websites notifying an applicant that:

 he or she may submit all documentation necessary for the approval of the loan at the time of application, and failure to do so could delay the loan's approval and disbursement. (Sec. 6) The SBA shall revise the comprehensive written disaster response plan, and any successor, to incorporate its response to a situation in which an extreme volume of applications are received during the period of time immediately after a disaster. The revised plan must: (1) ensure that sufficient human and technological resources are made available, and (2) prevent delays in loan processing.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-07-22 00:00:00

Small Business Tax Compliance Relief Act of 2015 

This bill amends provisions of the the Internal Revenue Code relating to the taxation of small businesses to:

 allow small business entities with gross receipts not exceeding $10 million (currently, $5 million) to use the cash method of accounting and an exemption from the requirement to use inventories; eliminate restrictions on the depreciation of computers or peripheral equipment; extend the tax deduction for the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals; allow small business entities to maintain pension plans designated as flexible retirement accounts; repeal provisions for simple pension plans and simple individual retirement accounts and special rules for top-heavy pension plans; require inflation adjustments after 2015 to the dollar amounts of specified tax exclusions and deductions; allow a reasonable cause exception to noncompliance penalties; modify return due dates for partnerships, C corporations, S corporations, and other entities; modifiy the application of tax rules for nonqualified deferred compensation plans; and reduce from 5 years to 3 years the required holding period for qualified small business stock and extend the rollover period for such stock. The bill directs: (1) the Department of the Treasury to modify Treasury regulations for the expensing of tangible property to increase from $500 to $2,500 the de minimis safe harbor amount for taxpayers without applicable financial statements; and (2) the Internal Revenue Service to implement procedures for the review of regulations affecting small business and report on uniform statutory definitions relating to small business and on improvements in customer service to small business.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Microloan Modernization Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Small Business Act with respect to the rule under the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program (assisting low-income individuals to start and operate a small business) that permits SBA-designated microloan intermediary lenders to expend up to 25% of the grant funds they receive from the SBA to provide information and technical assistance to small business concerns that are their prospective borrowers.

(Sec. 3) The total amount of loans outstanding and committed to any particular intermediary (excluding outstanding grants) from the SBA business loan and investment fund is increased from $5 million to $6 million for the remaining years of the intermediary's participation in the program.

(Sec. 4) The SBA must establish a process by which these microloan intermediaries may apply for, and the SBA may grant, a waiver of this 25/75 allocation.

This rule shall require any waiver applicant to:

 specify how it will use the additional technical assistance, and make assurances that the intermediary will have sufficient funds to provide technical assistance to all of the intermediary's borrowers. (Sec. 5) An eligible intermediary may include lines of credit among the short-term, fixed rate loans it makes to startup, newly established, and growing small business concerns from SBA funds made available to the intermediary for working capital and the acquisition of materials, supplies, furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

(Sec. 6) The SBA may not impose limitations on the repayment term of a loan by an intermediary to a small business or entrepreneur. This repayment term, however, may not exceed:

 6 years for a loan of $10,000 or less, or 10 years for a loan greater than $10,000. (Sec. 7) The Government Accountability Office shall:

 compare the operations of a representative sample of eligible intermediaries that participate in the microloan program and of eligible intermediaries that do not, study the reasons why the latter do not participate, recommend how to encourage increased participation by intermediaries in the microloan program, and recommend how to decrease the associated costs for intermediary participation.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-07-26 00:00:00

Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Act of 2015 or the VET Act of 2015

This bill directs the Small Business Administration to carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of making grants to eligible veterans to start or acquire a qualifying business enterprise.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-07-27 00:00:00

Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Act of 2016 or the VET Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of making grants to up to 250 eligible veterans and retiring or honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces to start or acquire a qualifying business enterprise. 

The SBA shall establish a list of qualifying business enterprise categories, which shall include: (1) a small business concern, (2) a franchise business enterprise, and (3) any other appropriate business enterprise category.

The SBA shall ensure grantee geographic diversity.

The SBA may authorize eligible veterans to apply as a group. Such a group shall be treated as a single veteran.

Each grantee shall: (1) complete an SBA-approved entrepreneurship readiness program, and (2) prepare a business plan.

The SBA shall submit a program assessment within two years of the program's commencement.

The Government Accountability Office shall submit a program evaluation within one year of the program's termination.

Nothing in the bill shall be construed to modify any time limitation or period during which an individual is entitled to Post 9/11 or all-volunteer force educational assistance.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-07-30 00:00:00

Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 Amends the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 to extend for an additional eight fiscal years the State Small Business Credit Initiative to assist participating states to give collateral support and other innovative credit access and guarantee initiatives for small businesses and manufacturers.

Prescribes allocations of federal funds to participating states.

Authorizes the Department of the Treasury to award, on a competitive basis, up to a total of $1 billion in two tranches, according to specified criteria, to participating states and consortiums of participating states for use: (1) for making federal contributions to, or for the account of, an approved state program; or (2) as collateral for a qualifying loan or swap funding facility.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-08-04 00:00:00

Scale-Up Manufacturing Investment Company Act of 2015

This bill amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a scale-up manufacturing investment company (SUMIC) program under which it shall provide leverage to participating investment funds (PIFs) to support debt and equity investments in qualifying manufacturing projects of specified small and emerging manufacturers.

Within 60 days after SBA approves and issues a license to operate as a PIF under SUMIC, it may provide up to $1 of leverage for every $1 of private capital raised by the PIF.

The maximum amount of outstanding leverage made available in any given fiscal year:

 to any PIF may not exceed $500 million, and to all PIFs in aggregate may not exceed $1 billion. The private capital of a PIF must be at least $250 million.

Any national bank, or any member bank of the Federal Reserve System or nonmember insured bank, to the extent permitted under state law, may invest in any one or more PIFs, or in any entity established to invest solely in PIFs. In no event must the total amount of such investments exceed 5% of the bank's capital and surplus.

The SBA must charge a leverage fee of between 3% and 5.5% of the face amount of the leverage issued.

Each PIF shall have authority to borrow money and issue debentures and preferred securities, subject to SBA limitations and regulations. Of the SBA leverage provided to a PIF: (1) at least 70% must be issued as debentures, and (2) up to 30% may be issued as preferred securities. The Federal Financing Bank may acquire such a debenture.

A PIF must use its SBA leverage to make debt and equity investments in small and emerging manufacturers to carry out qualifying manufacturing projects.

The SBA shall issue policy directives to provide for enhanced outreach efforts to increase investments by PIFs in small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and by women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

The SBA may establish a SUMIC Credit Council.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2015-08-05 00:00:00

Prepare, Ready, Equip, and Prevent Areas at Risk of Emergency Wildfires Act of 2015 or the PREPARE Act of 2015

 Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a pilot program to make grants to states or Indian tribal governments for wildfire mitigation.

Permits a grant to be used: (1) to reduce the use of fuels that may contribute to catastrophic wildfires in high-risk areas; (2) to invest in personnel, organizations, vehicles, and other equipment to conduct wildfire mitigation; (3) to mitigate against damage from runoff into waterways and floods caused by erosion from wildfires; (4) to build essential community collaboration and outline the necessary groundwork systems in anticipation of future fires; and (5) for other wildlife mitigation activities at the discretion of the governor of a state or the chief executive of an Indian tribal government.

Sets forth a grant eligibility requirement based on specified ratios of the relative population of, and the relative number fire management assistance grants received in the previous 10 years by, a prospective recipient. Authorizes the President to waive that requirement if a recipient demonstrates that significant environmental changes or shifts in forest health put the recipient at an elevated risk for catastrophic wildfires.

Allows the governor of a state to award grant funds to: (1) any county or municipality with a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan, (2) any Indian tribal government with a tribal mitigation plan, or (3) any other entity that is explicitly referenced in and central to the design of a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan.

Directs FEMA, in awarding such grants, to: (1) give preference to a recipient that has a high level of need for assistance based on the best scientific data available or that used previous grant funds efficiently and effectively for wildfire mitigation activities, and (2) consider environmental conditions in a state or area.

Directs FEMA to use specified unobligated amounts in the National Predisaster Mitigation Fund for each of FY2016-FY2021 in carrying out this Act.

Amends the Stafford Act to authorize the President, whether or not a major disaster is declared, to provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area affected by a fire for which assistance was otherwise provided.

Directs FEMA to require FEMA, in evaluating a governor's request for major disaster assistance under the Public Assistance Program, to consider whether: (1) post-fire flooding occurred within five years of, and as a result of, a single wildfire event in the state; and (2) the state received fire management assistance related to the major disaster for which the governor is requesting assistance.

Directs FEMA to create and make publicly available a post-fire recovery funding and resource guide for local communities.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2015-09-30 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on February 9, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Directing Dollars to Disaster Relief Act of 2015

(Sec. 3) This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to:

 develop and implement an integrated plan to control and reduce administrative costs incurred by FEMA in support of the delivery of assistance for major disasters; compare the costs and benefits of tracking the administrative cost data for major disasters by the public assistance, individual assistance, hazard mitigation, and mission assignment programs; track such information; and clarify FEMA guidance and minimum documentation requirements for a direct administrative cost claimed by a grantee or subgrantee of a public assistance grant program authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. (Sec. 4) FEMA must submit to Congress, by November 30 of each year for seven years beginning on the date of this Act's enactment, and make publicly available on its website, a report on the development and implementation of the plan for the previous fiscal year, with three-year and five-year updates. Each report shall contain:

 the total amount spent on administrative costs and the average annual percentage of administrative costs for the fiscal year period for which the report is being submitted; an assessment of the effectiveness of the plan; an analysis of whether FEMA is achieving its strategic goals for the average annual percentage of administrative costs of major disasters for each fiscal year and, in the case of it not achieving such goals, what is preventing it from doing so; any actions FEMA has identified as useful in improving upon and reaching those goals; and any administrative cost data for major disasters, if FEMA determines it is feasible to track such data.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-10-01 00:00:00

Small Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Enhancement Act of 2015

 (Sec. 3) This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation to designate a senior employee to serve as the broadband and emerging information technology (BEIT) coordinator.

The Office must also provide SBA employees BEIT training to assist small businesses in the use of such technologies.

The SBA Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall evaluate the impact of broadband speed and price on small businesses.

(Sec. 4) Services provided by a small business development center shall include accessing and using BEIT as an authorized activity of small business development centers.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-10-01 00:00:00

Small Business Lending and Economic Inequality Reduction Act of 2015

 This bill amends the Small Business Act to establish a Community Advantage Program, under which the Small Business Administration (SBA) may guarantee loans up to $350,000 made by specified kinds of institutions, including:

 development companies eligible for the state and local development company program, nonprofit intermediaries, non-federally regulated entities certified as community development financial institutions, and any other SBA-approved nonprofit organizations. At least 60% of these loans must be made to businesses in certain underserved markets, such as low- or moderate-income communities, HUBZones, empowerment zones, or enterprise communities.

The SBA must promulgate regulations for this Program, which shall be substantially similar to its Community Advantage Pilot Program, which shall terminate when these regulations take effect.

The Federal Home Loan Bank Act is amended to authorize Federal Home Loan Banks to make long-term secured advances to their members to provide funds to community development financial institutions.

At the time of origination or renewal of a loan or advance, a Bank must obtain and maintain a security interest in collateral eligible pursuant to any secured loan for any community development financial institution.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-10-06 00:00:00

Improving Small Business Innovative Research and Technologies Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Small Business Act to extend through FY2017 the requirement that the Small Business Administration (SBA) allow each federal agency required to conduct a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to use up to 3% of allocated SBIR funds for the administration of its SBIR or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program as well as other specified administrative, oversight, and contract processing costs.

The SBA shall establish the Regional SBIR State Collaborative Initiative Pilot Program to provide one-year renewable awards of up to $300,000 to a regional collaborative, consisting of a research institution or a small business located in at least three eligible states, to address the needs of small businesses in order to: (1) be more competitive in the proposal and selection process for SBIR and STTR Program awards, and (2) increase technology transfer and commercialization.

An eligible state is one:

 in the bottom half of states, based on the average number of annual SBIR program awards made to companies in the state for the preceding three years for which the SBA has applicable data, and participating in the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) of the National Science Foundation, as established by the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988. Each eligible EPSCoR state in a regional collaborative shall designate one eligible entity located in the state to serve as its lead eligible entity. Each regional collaborative to designate a coordinator from amongst the eligible entities in the collaborative, who shall serve as the interface between the regional collaborative and the SBA with respect to measuring cross-state collaboration and program effectiveness and documenting best practices.

Each regional collaborative with an award under the pilot program may use its award funds to perform specified services applicants for SBIR or STTR awards, including training and technical assistance.

Each federal agency required to conduct an SBIR Program must provide to the SBA 15% of its allocated SBIR funds set aside for administrative purposes:

 for the Pilot Program, for the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) Program, and to support the SBA Office that administers the SBIR and the STTR Programs. This bill provides funding for the Pilot Program through FY2017.

(Sec. 3) The bill also reauthorizes the FAST Program, including Mentoring Networks and the mentoring database, through FY2017.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-10-06 00:00:00

Small Business Subcontracting Transparency Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Small Business Act to revise requirements with respect to the Small Business Administration (SBA) review and acceptance of subcontracting plans.

If a contractor or subcontractor fails to comply in good faith with assurances for the submission of periodic reports and cooperate in any studies or surveys required by the federal agency or the SBA to determine the extent of compliance with the contracting plan, such failure shall be a material breach of the contract or subcontract and may be considered in any past performance evaluation of the contractor.

(Sec. 3) The bill eliminates the limitation that SBA findings submitted to an appropriate federal agency after review of solicitations for procurement contracts be "advisory in nature."

(Sec. 4) A federal agency's procurement center representative (PCR) or commercial market representative (CMR) may delay acceptance of a subcontracting plan for 30 days if the PCR or CMR determines that it fails to provide the maximum practicable opportunity for certain covered small businesses to participate in the performance of the applicable contract. The written notice of such determination to the contracting agency's head of the procuring activity must include recommendations for altering the plan to provide the maximum practicable opportunity.

In the case of a Department of Defense PCR or CMR, the acceptance may be delayed for only 15 days. This delayed acceptance authority, however, does not include delay of the award or performance of the contract.

A PCR or CMR may not delay acceptance of a subcontracting plan if the head of the contracting agency certifies that the agency's need for the supplies or services is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the United States would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to accept the subcontracting plan.

(Sec. 5) The SBA shall issue regulations providing examples of activities that would be considered a failure to make a good faith effort to comply with the requirements imposed on any entity (other than a small business) awarded a prime contract exceeding a certain amount that contains certain required SBA clauses regarding subcontracting plans.