zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Bring the Jobs Home Loan Act of 2016

This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a loan program to assist small business concerns involved in manufacturing to begin the U.S. production of products that would otherwise be imported.

Small business concerns receiving these loans must report to the SBA on: (1) facility and equipment changes made using the loans, and (2) progress made in the production of products in the U.S. The bill allows the SBA to consider the report information in determining whether to provide an additional loan or loan assistance under another SBA program.

It prohibits an individual loan greater than 5% of the total amount available for such loans.

Date: 2016-09-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
This bill sets the federal share of major disaster assistance provided to Louisiana under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in connection with the major disaster declaration (DR-4263) declared on March 13, 2016, at: (1) 90% of the eligible costs for the repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged public facilities; and (2) 100% of the eligible costs for assistance essential to meeting immediate threats to life and property and for debris removal.

Date: 2016-09-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
Timely Payments for Flood Victims Act of 2016

This bill amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to require that a final determination and notification regarding approval of a claim for damage to or loss of property under the national flood insurance program be made by the expiration of the 30-day period after such claim was made. Such period may be extended by a single additional period of 15 days if extraordinary circumstances are demonstrated. Claims shall be paid as soon as possible after approval.

Date: 2016-09-21
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Louisiana Flood and Storm Devastation Tax Relief Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify several tax provisions and rules for individuals and businesses affected by storms and flooding in Louisiana.

The bill applies to the area with respect to which a major disaster has been declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act:

 before September 3, 2016, by reason of severe storms and flooding occurring in Louisiana during August of 2016; and before April 21, 2016, by reason of severe storms and flooding occurring in Louisiana during March and April of 2016. For individuals and businesses in the specified Louisiana storm and flood disaster area, the bill modifies tax provisions and rules regarding: (1) early withdrawals of retirement funds; (2) employment-related tax credits; (3) charitable contributions; (4) and various tax deductions, exclusions, and credits related to losses and recovery from the storms and flooding.

Date: 2016-09-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Taxation
Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act

 This bill amends the National Flood Insurance Act to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to require communities participating in the national flood insurance program that have adopted land use control measures to: (1) analyze and map areas in which are located structures and public or nonprofit facilities that have been repetitively damaged by flooding; and (2) develop a community-specific plan for addressing continuing flood risks and make the plan, updates, and reports on progress in reducing flood risk publicly available.

FEMA shall provide sanctions upon communities that fail to comply with the requirements of this bill or to make sufficient progress in reducing the flood risks to areas repeatedly damaged by floods.

Date: 2016-09-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Flood Insurance Reimbursement Standards Transparency Cap Profits Act of 2016 or the FIRST Cap Profits Act of 2016

This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the property and casualty insurance companies participating in the "Write Your Own" (WYO) flood insurance program under the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Biggert-Waters Act) to implement and comply with the program's oversight and expense reimbursement requirements within one year after enactment of this bill. (The WYO program is a cooperative undertaking between the insurance industry and the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration that allows participating property and casualty insurance companies to write and service standard flood insurance policies.)

The Biggert-Waters Act is amended to require FEMA to prohibit reimbursements to WYO insurers from exceeding 110% of the aggregate amount of the insurer's actual expenses for selling, writing, and servicing flood insurance policies and adjusting flood claims on behalf of the National Flood Insurance Program.

The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended to require courts to award litigation costs to plaintiffs who prevail in civil actions for fraud or misrepresentation by an insurance company participating in the WYO program.

Date: 2016-12-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Local Disaster Contracting Fairness Act of 2015

 Prohibits the head of an executive agency from entering into an agreement for debris removal or demolition services in connection with natural disaster reconstruction efforts unless the agreement specifies that: (1) all of the work under the contract will be performed by the prime contractor or one or more subcontractors at one tier under the contract; (2) any work performed under the contract by subcontractors will be performed by local subcontractors, except to the extent that local subcontractors are not available to perform any such work; (3) the prime contractor will act as the project manager or construction manager for the contract; and (4) the prime contractor has primary responsibility for managing all work under the contract and will be paid a certain percentage of the overall value of the contract as sole compensation for assuming the risk associated with such responsibility.

Requires the agency head, in entering into an agreement for debris removal or demolition services in connection with natural disaster reconstruction efforts, to give preference in the source selection process to each offeror who certifies that any work that is to be performed under the contract by subcontractors will be performed by local subcontractors.

Date: 2015-01-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
Investment Savings Access After Catastrophes Act of 2015

 Defines "Hurricane Isaac disaster area" for purposes of this Act as any parish or county of Louisiana or Mississippi in an area in which a major disaster has been declared before September 10, 2012, under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act by reason of Hurricane Isaac.

Provides for tax preferences in the Hurricane Isaac disaster area, including: (1) suspension of limitations on the tax deduction for personal casualty losses, (2) an extension of the carryback period for net operating losses, and (3) tax-free distributions from a retirement plan made on or after August 26, 2012, and before September 11, 2014, to an individual whose principal place of abode on August 26, 2012, was located in the Hurricane Isaac disaster area and who sustained an economic loss due to Hurricane Isaac.

Rescinds unobligated funds in an amount equal to the reduction in revenues resulting from the enactment of this Act.

Date: 2015-01-07
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Taxation
Fire-Damaged Home Rebuilding Act of 2015

Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to allow local variances for certain residential structures substantially damaged by a fire or other disaster, not including a flood, in a covered area having special flood hazards.

Permits state or local authorities, upon making certain determinations, to grant a variance from compliance with certain mandatory adequate land use and control measures to allow repair and restoration of an eligible structure to its pre-damaged condition without elevation of the structure.

Includes among such determinations that: (1) the repaired and restored structure will be located on the same site as it was before being substantially damaged, and (2) the number of floors of the restored structure will not exceed the number of floors of the original structure.

Restricts the maximum number of such variances to 10 for a covered area during any calendar year.

Prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from either: (1) finding that land use and control measures are inadequate or inconsistent with the comprehensive criteria for land management and use because they permit granting the variances identified under this Act; or (2) suspending an area or subdivision from participation in the national flood insurance program, or placing it on probation, because its land use and control measures provide for such variances.

Prohibits the chargeable flood insurance premium rate for a residential structure granted a variance under this Act from being lower than the rate that otherwise would apply if such structure had not been substantially damaged by a fire or other disaster (except a flood) and repaired and restored pursuant to the variance.

Date: 2015-02-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015

 This bill revises and reauthorizes through FY2021 the Tsunami Warning and Education Act.

The tsunami warning systems for the Pacific and Arctic Oceans and for the Atlantic Ocean are consolidated into a single warning system. The system must support international tsunami forecasting and warning efforts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must support or maintain tsunami warning centers to support the national warning system and develop uniform operational procedures for the centers. Warning centers are given additional responsibilities, including maintaining a fail-safe warning capability and an ability to perform back-up duties for each other.

The tsunami hazard mitigation program must provide for: (1) technical and financial assistance; (2) activities to support the development of regional hazard and risk assessments; (3) activities to promote preparedness in at-risk ports and harbors; and (4) dissemination of guidelines and standards for community planning, education, and training products, programs, and tools.

The tsunami research program must develop the technical basis for validation of tsunami maps, models, and forecasts.

NOAA no longer has to operate an International Tsunami Information Center to improve tsunami preparedness for Pacific Ocean nations.

NOAA must: (1) designate an existing working group to serve as the Tsunami Science and Technology Advisory Panel to provide advice on matters regarding tsunami science, technology, and regional preparedness; (2) maintain a coordinating committee to assist in the national tsunami hazard mitigation program; and (3) develop formal outreach activities to improve tsunami education and awareness and foster the development of resilient communities.

Date: 2015-02-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Disaster Assistance Fairness and Accountability Act of 2015

Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to prohibit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from taking any actions to recoup from a recipient assistance provided in relation to a major disaster declared by the President on or after January 1, 2012, if: (1) the recipient's application was made in good faith and provided accurate information and the receipt of such assistance could reasonably have been expected by the recipient, or (2) the receipt of such assistance occurred more than three years before FEMA first notifies the recipient of FEMA's intent to recoup.

Requires FEMA, in carrying out a recoupment of disaster assistance that is not prohibited under this Act, to provide documentation that demonstrates that the recipient did not apply in good faith with accurate information or could not reasonably have expected to receive such assistance.

Date: 2015-03-03
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2015

Requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to amend the rules concerning the factors it considers when evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the need for public assistance: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to the estimated cost of the assistance (10%), localized impacts (40%), insurance coverage in force (10%), hazard mitigation (10%), recent multiple disasters (10%), programs of other federal assistance (10%), and economic circumstances (10%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of both the local economy of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate) and the state economy (including the unemployment rate).

Requires such rules to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the severity, magnitude, and impact of the disaster and the evaluation of the need for assistance to individuals: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to concentration of damages (20%), trauma (20%), special populations (20%), voluntary agency assistance (10%), insurance (20%), average amount of individual assistance by state (5%), and economic considerations (5%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate).

Makes such rules applicable to any disaster for which a governor requested a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and was denied on or after January 1, 2012.

Date: 2015-03-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate reported version is repeated here.)

Emergency Information Improvement Act of 2015

 (Sec. 2) Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include broadcasting facilities within the definition of a "private nonprofit facility" that provides essential services of a governmental nature to the general public, and to include broadcast and telecommunications within the definition of "critical services" provided by such a facility, for purposes of eligibility for certain disaster assistance.

Date: 2015-04-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
Small Business Tax Certainty and Growth Act of 2015 

Expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should undertake comprehensive tax reform to make the tax system fairer and simpler and to promote economic growth.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the increased tax deductions for business start-up expenditures, organizational expenditures, and organization and syndication fees; (2) allow the cash accounting method for businesses whose gross receipts do not exceed $10 million (currently, $5 million); (3) exempt businesses whose gross receipts do not exceed $10 million from the requirement to use inventories; (4) make permanent a $500,000 allowance for expensing business assets, including computer software; (5) extend for one year the additional depreciation allowance for business assets (bonus depreciation); and (6) make permanent the 15-year straight-line depreciation allowance for qualified leasehold improvement, restaurant, and retail improvement property.

Date: 2015-04-30
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Taxation
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on June 25, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015

 (Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) modernize the integrated U.S. public alert and warning system to help ensure that under all conditions the President, federal agencies, and state, tribal, and local governments can alert and warn the civilian population in areas endangered by natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters or threats to public safety; and (2) implement such system to disseminate timely and effective warnings.

Directs FEMA to: (1) establish common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures for the system; (2) include in such system the capability to adapt the distribution and content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, and multiple communication technologies and to alert, warn, and provide equivalent information to individuals with disabilities, access and functional needs, or limited English proficiency; (3) ensure that specified training, tests, and exercises for such system are conducted and that the system is resilient, secure, and can withstand external attacks; and (4) conduct public education efforts and a general market awareness campaign about the system.

Requires the system to: (1) be designed to adapt to and incorporate future technologies for communicating directly with the public, provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population feasible, and improve the ability of remote areas to receive alerts; (2) promote local and regional public and private partnerships to enhance community preparedness and response; (3) provide redundant alert mechanisms; and (4) protect individual privacy.

Requires FEMA to make available on its public website and submit to Congress an annual report of the performance of the system.

Directs FEMA to establish the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Subcommittee to develop and submit recommendations for an integrated public alert and warning system to the National Advisory Council, which shall report the recommendations it approves to agencies represented on the Subcommittee and to specified congressional committees. Terminates the Subcommittee not later than three years after this Act's enactment.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act for FY2016-FY2018.

Date: 2015-05-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
National Laboratory Technology Maturation Act of 2015

 Requires the Department of Energy to establish the National Laboratory technology maturation program to make grants of up to $5 million per fiscal year to National Laboratories to increase the successful transfer of technologies licensed from National Laboratories to small businesses by providing a link between an innovative process or technology and a practical application with potential to be successful in commercial markets.

Requires grant recipients to use the funds to provide vouchers of up to $250,000 each to small businesses that hold a technology license from a National Laboratory to pay the cost of providing assistance from its scientists and engineers to assist in the development of the licensed technology and further develop related products and services until they are market-ready or sufficiently developed to attract private investment.

Requires a National Laboratory that awards a voucher to carry out such a project to: (1) establish a procedure to monitor interim progress of the project toward commercialization milestones, and (2) discontinue providing such funding or assistance if it determines that a project is not making adequate progress toward such milestones under the procedure.

Date: 2015-05-07
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts Act of 2015

 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for tax-exempt Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts to pay for trade or business expenses, including the purchase of equipment or facilities, marketing, training, incorporation, and accounting fees. Allows annual contributions to such accounts up to $10,000. Sets forth rules for the tax treatment of contributions to and rollovers from such accounts, similar to rules governing individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

Date: 2015-05-07
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Taxation
Helping Our Middle-Class Entrepreneurs Act or the HOME Act

 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer who uses a residence to conduct a trade or business a standard tax deduction equal to the lesser of $1,500 or the taxpayer's gross trade or business income derived from the business use of such residence. Provides for an inflation adjustment to the standard deduction amount in calendar years beginning after 2015.

Date: 2015-05-11
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Taxation
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

HUBZone Revitalization Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Small Business Act to redefine HUBZones (historically underutilized business Zones) eligible for certain assistance to include a qualified disaster area (a specified census tract or nonmetropolitan county located in a major declared disaster area or in an area where a catastrophic incident has occurred).

A qualified disaster area shall be treated as a HUBZone for 5 years after it has been declared a major disaster area or for 10 years after a catastrophic incident has occurred within it.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency shall provide the Small Business Administration with any data it needs to verify a small business's eligibility for the HUBZone small business loan program.

(Sec. 3) HUBZones shall now also include areas that can be used by small businesses whose principal offices are located in base closure HUBZones, with at least 35% of their employees residing in:

 a HUBZone, a census tract in which the base closure HUBZone is wholly contained, a census tract that intersects the boundaries of the base closure HUBZone, or census tract contiguous with these census tracts. This bill also amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 to extend HUBZone eligibility assistance for base closure areas from five years to eight years after their closure.

Date: 2015-05-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
Veterans Small Business Enhancement Act of 2015

This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to give access to and manage the distribution of U.S-owned surplus property, including foreign excess personal property returned to a state for handling as surplus property, to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the SBA and the head of the state agency for surplus properties.

Date: 2015-05-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
Microloan Act of 2015

This bill amends the Small Business Act to revise requirements for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program (direct loans to eligible intermediaries for making fixed interest rate microloans to startup, newly established, or growing small businesses).

The bill repeals the authority for each intermediary to expend certain grant amounts to: (1) provide information and technical assistance to small businesses that are prospective borrowers, and (2) enter into third party contracts to provide technical assistance.

The bill also repeals minimum allocation requirements and authority to redistribute portions of remaining microloan funds in the third quarter.

It is the sense of Congress that the SBA should promote the Microloan Program to encourage entrepreneurs to use it.

Date: 2015-05-21
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act

This bill amends the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 to make technical amendments to requirements for flood insurance under either the federal program or private flood insurance.

"Private flood insurance" shall include any policy issued by an insurance company eligible as a nonadmitted insurer to provide flood insurance in the state or jurisdiction where the property to be insured is located.

The flood insurance program under the Act, including both private and federal flood insurance, shall extend to Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to consider any period during which a property was continuously covered by private flood insurance to be a period of continuous insurance coverage.

Date: 2015-06-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
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.

Date: 2015-07-21
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-07-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Taxation
(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.

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-07-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-07-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-07-30
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-08-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-08-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
(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.

Date: 2015-09-30
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Emergency management
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.

Date: 2015-10-01
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-10-01
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-10-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce
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.

Date: 2015-10-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Disaster Relief)
Subject: Commerce