zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Women's Small Business Ownership Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Office of Women's Business Ownership within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to address issues concerning the management, operations, manufacturing, technology, finance, retail and product sales, international trade, government contracting, and other disciplines required for starting, operating, and increasing the business of a small business. Authorizes the SBA Administrator to provide annual training for women's business ownership representatives to enable them to carry out such responsibilities. Authorizes the Administrator to provide financial assistance to qualifying entities to conduct projects designed to provide training and counseling meeting the needs of women business owners, especially socially and economically disadvantaged women business owners. Provides assistance amounts of at least $100,000 and up to $150,000 per year. Directs the Administrator to consult with each association of women's business centers to develop: (1) a training program for the staff of such centers, and (2) recommendations to improve the policies and procedures for governing the general operations and administration of the women's business center program. Outlines application and other requirements for entities to receive assistance to conduct such projects. Directs the Administrator to solicit applications and award grants for the first fiscal year beginning after the enactment of this Act, and every third fiscal year thereafter. Provides for the review and approval of grant applications, as well as conditions for continued funding. Allows for multiple awards to the same entities. Directs the Comptroller General (CG) to study and report to Congress on: (1) the unique economic issues facing women's business centers located in predominately rural, urban, or insular areas; and (2) SBA oversight of women's business centers.

Date: 2012-05-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Strengthening Resources for America's Entrepreneurs Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop and submit to Congress a plan for using SBA entrepreneurial development programs (EDPs) to create jobs during FY2013-FY2014. Requires the Administrator to: (1) promulgate a rule to develop and implement a consistent data collection process for the EDPs; (2) report annually to Congress on opportunities to foster coordination of, limit duplication among, and improve program delivery for federal EDPs; (3) establish a database of providers of entrepreneurial development services; (4) designate at least one employee in each SBA district office as a community specialist to work with local providers of such services to increase their coordination with federal EDPs; and (5) develop benchmarks for measuring the performance of such specialists.

Date: 2012-05-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Amends the Small Business Export Development Act to direct the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to submit to the congressional small business committees periodic reports, beginning two years after the enactment of this Act, that rank each state and U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, and the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas on how well their regulations and policies create optimal environments for the creation and development of small businesses. Designates each such report as a National Small Business Climate Index (Index). Outlines factors to be used to achieve such rankings. Requires the Chief Counsel, within one year after the enactment of this Act, to report to such committees on the progress in preparing the first Index.

Date: 2012-05-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Goaling Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to raise from 23% to 25% the governmentwide prime contract award goal for participation by small business concerns and to make the governmentwide subcontract participation award goal 40% for such businesses. Revises percentage goals for awards to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small businesses, small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small businesses owned by women (small business categories). Requires the small business procurement goals established by the head of each federal agency participating in federal procurement contracts to: (1) be in the same format as the goals established by the President, (2) address both prime contract and subcontract awards, and (3) meet or exceed the government-wide goals for each small business category. Requires each agency head to: (1) consult with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) in establishing agency goals, and (2) develop a plan for achieving agency goals. Revises requirements concerning information required to be included in annual reports from: (1) agency heads to the Administrator concerning the extent of small business participation in that agency's procurement contracts; and (2) the Administrator to the President and Congress on whether individual agency goals were achieved, as well as reasons for any failure to achieve such goals. Requires, in the latter reports, information concerning the number and dollar amounts of prime contracts awarded to small businesses owned by an Alaska Native Corporation. Requires training programs established for the development of federal senior executives to include training with respect to federal procurement requirements, including those under the Small Business Act. Requires senior executive performance appraisals to take into account the individual's success in meeting agency small business federal procurement contracting goals.

Date: 2012-05-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Startup Act 2.0 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to adjust to conditional permanent resident status up to 50,000 aliens who have earned a master's or doctorate degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field (STEM field) and permit such an alien to remain in the United States: (1) for up to one year after the expiration of the alien's student visa, if the alien is searching for STEM field employment; and (2) indefinitely if the alien remains actively engaged in a STEM field. Removes a STEM alien's conditional status after five years of maintaining eligibility during the entire five-year period. Authorizes the Secretary to issue conditional immigrant visas to up to 75,000 qualified alien entrepreneurs. Removes such conditional basis after four years of maintaining qualified entrepreneur status. Eliminates the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based visas. Increases the per country numerical limitation for family based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. Amends the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual People's Republic of China immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide a permanent full tax exclusion on gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock held for more than five years, (2) repeal the minimum tax preference and the 28% capital gains rate on such stock, and (3) provide a limited tax credit for certain startup small businesses. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to use certain federal agency extramural budget funds to award grants to institutions of higher education for initiatives to improve commercialization and transfer of technology. Requires the head of any federal or independent regulatory agency, before issuing a notice of rulemaking in connection with the issuance of a proposed major rule, to complete a review that, among other things, analyzes the problem that the rule intends to address, and identifies and analyzes the rule's expected impact on state, local, and tribal governments, as well as on the ability of new businesses to form and expand. Requires a cost-benefit analysis before rule issuance. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to regularly compile: (1) information from each of the states and the District of Columbia on laws that affect the formation and growth of new businesses, and (2) quantitative and qualitative information on U.S. businesses that are not more than one year old.

Date: 2012-05-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Export Growth Act of 2012 - Amends the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to revise the duties of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC). Requires the TPCC to: (1) identify opportunities to consolidate or co-locate offices of federal agencies involved in export promotion and export financing activities; (2) assess the use and coordination of electronic databases among federal agencies in support of such activities; and (3) provide a detailed listing of current and future federal and state-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities to ensure better delivery of services to U.S. businesses. Requires the Secretary of Commerce to make available information on federal and state-led trade missions, trade fairs, and related activities on the Export.gov website. Requires the governmentwide strategic plan for federal trade promotion efforts to: (1) clearly identify and explain the role, goals, and objectives of each TPCC member agency with respect its export promotion and export financing activities; (2) include any recommendations of the Comptroller General relating to coordination of the TPCC and member agencies; and (3) reflect the recommendations of the U.S. Travel Association (currently, U.S. National Tourism Organization) to the degree considered appropriate by the TPCC. Revises membership of the TPCC to include one member that represents state agencies with responsibility for export promotion and export financing. Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on the extent to which the TPCC is successfully carrying out its duties. Requires certain reports to Congress: (1) on recommendations for improving access about export information (including state resources) on the Export.gov website, and (2) for developing a single website for complying with and disseminating information about U.S. export control laws and regulations. Amends the Small Business Act to require that the nationwide marketing effort of the Associate Administrator of the Office of International Trade of the Small Business Administration (SBA), in promoting sales opportunities for the export of small business goods and services, to conduct at least one outreach event each fiscal year in each state. Directs the SBA Administrator to establish a small business export matchmaking pilot program designed to facilitate contact between U.S. small businesses and potential foreign buyers or international clients. Directs the SBA Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to jointly establish a Small Business Inter-Agency Task Force on Export Financing.

Date: 2012-05-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
SCORE Program Improvement Act of 2012 - Establishes the SCORE Advisory Board to: (1) review and monitor plans and programs which affect SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapters; (2) advise on improving coordination between such plans and programs; (3) advise SCORE chapters on the use of allocated federal funding; (4) develop and promote initiatives, policies, programs, and plans designed to assist with mentoring services offered by SCORE chapters; and (5) advise the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) on the development and implementation of an annual comprehensive plan for joint public-private efforts to facilitate the formation and development of mentoring by SCORE volunteers. Requires an annual activities report from the Board to the President and the congressional small business committees. Amends the Small Business Act to reauthorize the SCORE program through FY2015. Limits the rate of pay of the SCORE chief executive officer to the maximum rate within the Senior Executive Service. Directs SCORE to establish a committee to determine the amount of, and methods for, allocations to each chapter. Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) conduct a study that includes an examination of each SCORE expenditure for technology activities and the result of each expenditure; and (2) report study results to Congress.

Date: 2012-05-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Expanding Access to Capital for Entrepreneurial Leaders Act or EXCEL Act - Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee the payment of up to $4 billion per fiscal year for debentures or participating securities issued by small business investment companies (SBICs) to encourage the formation and growth of small businesses. Increases the maximum amount of outstanding leverage for two or more commonly-controlled SBICs. Authorizes annual inflationary adjustments of such limits. Directs the Administrator to make publicly available on the SBA website specified fiscal and related information with respect to each SBIC. Allows SBIC licensing fees to be used by the SBA for SBIC program needs other than the costs of licensing examinations. Expresses the sense of Congress that SBICs would benefit from partnerships with community banks and other lenders, and that the Administrator should: (1) increase outreach to such banks and lenders for investment in SBICs; (2) use the Internet to publicize which SBICs are soliciting and making investments in small businesses; (3) partner with governors, mayors, states, and municipalities to increase outreach by SBICs to underserved and rural areas; and (4) revise and update the SBIC program webpage to make it more prominent and user-friendly.

Date: 2012-05-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Go Global Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to allow the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to employ additional export finance specialists in the 15 states with the greatest volume of exports, as determined through a study required under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. Directs the Administrator to develop a program to cross-train export finance specialists: (1) with personnel within the SBA's Office of International Trade (Office) on the export financing programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS); and (2) with personnel within such Office, small business development centers, women's business centers, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, export assistance centers, and other SBA resource partners on the export assistance and business counseling programs of the USDA. Requires: (1) information on loans provided through programs of the USDA and FAS to be included in a required annual SBA list of export finance lenders, and (2) an annual SBA list of rural export assistance resources. Directs the Administrator to establish a program to register export management companies and export trading companies. Requires the Office to encourage the participation of SBA employees and resource partners in reverse trade missions hosted or sponsored by the federal government. Authorizes the Administrator to waive section 7(a) (general small business loans) loan fees in the case of a small business: (1) exporting for the first time, or (2) certified as eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance under the Trade Act of 1974. Requires the Administrator to report to the small business committees, in each of FY2013-FY2016, on such fee waivers. Provides a specified reallocation of funds from the Community Adjustment and Investment Program to the SBA's Export Expansion Investment Program. Amends the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 to add the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to the list of U.S. territories and possessions eligible for SBA grants to carry out export programs that assist certain small businesses. Expresses the sense of Congress in support of: (1) small business representation on international trade promotion advisory panels, councils, and boards; and (2) detailing SBA staff to other federal agencies for training on export assistance programs. Directs the SBA's Associate Administrator for International Trade to: (1) develop and maintain a small business trade strategy to be included within the government-wide strategic plan for federal trade promotion, and (2) report annually to the small business committees on such strategy. Requires the Administrator to report to such committees on any SBA memoranda of understanding entered into and their benefit to small businesses.

Date: 2012-06-07
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Bring Jobs Home Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) grant business taxpayers a tax credit for up to 20% of insourcing expenses incurred for eliminating a business located outside the United States and  relocating it within the United States, and (2) deny a tax deduction for outsourcing expenses incurred in relocating a U.S. business outside the United States. Requires an increase in the taxpayer's employment of full-time employees in the United States in order to claim the tax credit for insourcing expenses.

Date: 2012-07-09
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Small Refiner Relief Act of 2012 - Defines "small business refiner" for purposes of administering any law under the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) jurisdiction to mean, with respect to any taxable year, a refiner of crude oil: (1) with respect to which not more than 1,500 individuals are engaged in the business's refinery operations on any day during such year, and (2) the average daily domestic refinery run or average retained production of which for all facilities of the taxpayer during any calendar year did not exceed 205,000 barrels.

Date: 2012-07-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Environmental protection
SCORE for Small Business Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to reauthorize for FY2013-FY2015 the SCORE program (the Service Corps of Retired Executives, which provides free mentoring and related services to small businesses). Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure that SCORE volunteers are adequately oriented and trained in areas and disciplines necessary to ensure successful, outcome-oriented interactions relating to services provided by the SCORE program. Directs the Administrator to ensure that the SCORE program and each SCORE chapter develop and implement plans and goals: (1) for outreach to individuals in rural, ethnically diverse, minority, and underserved communities; and (2) to more effectively and efficiently provide services to individuals in such communities. Requires the SCORE Association to report annually to the Administrator on SCORE counseling and training, as well as on the number of small businesses created or expanded with SCORE assistance. Outlines privacy requirements of the Administrator and the SCORE Association with respect to the disclosure of information concerning businesses assisted under the SCORE program.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from passive loss rules any activity of a taxpayer carried on by a high technology research small business pass-thru entity. Defines "high technology research small business pass-thru entity" as any domestic pass-thru entity that: (1) spends a specified percentage of its income on research, (2) is a small business with 250 or fewer employees, and (3) does not have aggregate gross receipts in excess of $150 million.

Date: 2012-09-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Today's Entrepreneurs are Advancing Mentorship Act of 2012 or TEAM Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to establish within the Small Business Administration (SBA) an Office of Entrepreneurial Support, headed by a Director, to develop and provide innovative entrepreneurial information, education, and resources to promote both prospective entrepreneurs and successful small businesses. Requires: (1) the SBA's Associate Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development to establish a program of technical assistance grants for the development and implementation of curricula and mentoring programs designed to promote entrepreneurship, and (2) the Director to report to the congressional small business committees on best practices of U.S. entrepreneurial education and training programs. Directs the SBA Administrator to establish an Emerging Leaders Program of specialized training and executive-level mentoring to certain small businesses, with an emphasis on small businesses in emerging, underserved, rural, and urban markets. Requires: (1) the Administrator to develop performance measures for the Emerging Leaders and Entrepreneurial Support Programs, and (2) the Comptroller General to submit to the small business committees a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of such Programs.

Date: 2012-11-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Working Families' Access to Health Innovations Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee up to 90% of a loan made to a health care professional for the acquisition of health information technology for use in such professional's medical practice and for the costs associated with its installation. Provides loan guarantee limits, and authorizes the Administrator to impose a loan guarantee fee.

Requires services provided by a small business development center to include: (1) facilitating the training of medical professionals in health information technology systems; and (2) establishing and providing a network of small health information technology companies available to such professionals in low-income and underserved areas for assistance in purchasing, utilizing, and maintaining such technology.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Health
Small Business Investment Enhancement and Tax Relief Act - Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish and carry out an early-stage investment program (program) to provide, through participating investment companies, equity financing to support early-stage businesses (gross annual sales of $15 million or less in any of the previous three years). Outlines investment company application requirements and selection procedures. Allows the Administrator to make one or more equity financings to a participating company, with a limit of $100 million to any one company. Requires the company to make all of their investments in small businesses, of which at least 50% shall be early-stage small businesses. Establishes in the Treasury a separate fund for equity financings under the program.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a small business investment tax credit of 20% of the amount paid or incurred for small business investments. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study of the effectiveness of the tax credit in providing incentives for investment in small businesses.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Creating Jobs From Innovative Small Businesses Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general business tax credit of 20% of the amount paid to acquire an equity investment in a qualified high technology small business concern. Defines "qualified high technology small business concern" as a small business concern that employs an average of fewer than 500 employees during a year and devotes at least 50% of its gross expenditures to research and experimentation.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Small Business Freedom of Commerce Act of 2013 - Allows a small business operating in the United States to elect to be exempt from any federal rule or regulation issued on or after January 20, 2009. Requires the small business to notify the federal agency that issued the rule or regulation that it has elected such exemption, and makes the exemption effective 30 days after such notification.

Requires an exempt small business to: (1) label any product affected by the exemption as no longer subject to such rule or regulation, and (2) include in any communication relating to the affected product or activity a notice that it is no longer so subject.

Provides penalties for small business noncompliance with such requirements.

Prohibits a small business from electing to be exempt from a rule or regulation issued by the Department of Defense (DOD) or Homeland Security (DHS) if the Secretary of Defense or Homeland Security has determined that the rule or regulation is necessary for U.S. security.

Date: 2013-01-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Voluntary Protection Program Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to enter into cooperative agreements with employers to: (1) encourage establishment of comprehensive safety and health management systems to protect employees from occupational hazards, and (2) establish a voluntary protection program to encourage excellence and recognize its achievement in both the technical and managerial protection of employees from occupational hazards.

Requires the Secretary to take necessary steps for the orderly transition from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cooperative agreements and voluntary protection programs existing before enactment of this Act to agreements and programs authorized under this Act.

Directs the Secretary to establish a program to increase small business participation in the voluntary protection program.

Date: 2013-02-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Labor and employment
Protect Small Business Jobs Act of 2013 - Requires a federal agency, before any enforcement action is taken on any sanction on a small business for any violation of a rule or pursuant to an adjudication, to: (1) notify the small business that it may be subject to a sanction at the end of a six-month grace period following such notification; (2) delay further action for 15 days after such notification; (3) defer further action for the six-month period (allowing an additional three-month period upon application by the small business demonstrating reasonable good-faith efforts to remedy the violation or other conduct giving rise to the sanction); (4) make a further determination at the end of the applicable grace period as to whether the small business would still be subject to the sanction; and (5) upon a negative determination, waive the sanction. Makes the grace period inapplicable with respect to a violation that puts anyone in imminent danger, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Makes null and void any sanction imposed in violation of such requirements.

Requires: (1) federal agencies to report annually to the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman on the utilization of this directive and to disclose the penalty mitigation for small businesses, and (2) the Ombudsman to include such information in a currently-required annual report to Congress.

Date: 2013-02-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow businesses with 500 or fewer employees to establish small business start-up savings accounts for the payment of certain business expenses, including the purchase of equipment or facilities, marketing, training, incorporation, and accounting fees. Requires all distributions from such accounts for payment of business expenses to be completed within five years after the first account distribution.

Allows a tax deduction for contributions to a start-up savings account, limited to the lesser of: (1) $10,000, or (2) $150,000 reduced by the aggregate account contributions for all taxable years. Excludes distributions from such accounts from gross income for income tax purposes. Imposes an excise tax on excess contributions to and for nonqualified distributions from such accounts.

Date: 2013-02-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent: (1) the 100% exclusion from gross income of gain from the sale of certain small business stock, (2) carrybacks and alternative minimum tax rules relating to small business tax credits, (3) the reduction in the recognition period for the built-in gains from the sale of S corporation stock, (4) the increased limitation for the expensing of depreciable business assets, (5) the use of the percentage of completion accounting method for long-term contracts, (6) the increased tax deduction for business start-up expenditures, and (7) the allowance of a deduction for health insurance premiums in computing net earnings from self-employment income.

Date: 2013-02-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Small Business Accounting and Tax Simplification Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt certain small business taxpayers from the requirements of using the accrual method of accounting and of using inventories. Allows such taxpayers to use a cash method of accounting if they meet the gross receipts test and are not engaged in farming as a corporation. Increases the amount of the gross receipts test to $10 million (currently, $5 million) and permits an annual inflation adjustment of that amount.

Date: 2013-03-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Main Street Revival Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a specified small business to pay its first-year employment taxes in four annual installments. Defines "specified small business" as any HUBZone business (a business operating in a historically underutilized business zone as defined by the Small Business Act) that is not reasonably expected to employ more than 25 full-time employees in its first year of operation.

Date: 2013-03-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Workforce Infrastructure for Skilled Employees Investment Act or WISE Investment Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants to local boards, community colleges, postsecondary vocational institutions, community-based organizations, and apprenticeship programs and joint labor-management training programs, to promote local economic growth and eliminate gaps between the workforce skills available and the workforce skills needed with respect to small businesses in local areas or regions.

Date: 2013-03-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Labor and employment
Small Business Investment Company Modernization Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to increase from $225 million to $350 million the maximum amount of outstanding leverage to be made available by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to two or more commonly controlled small business investment companies not under capital impairment.

Date: 2013-03-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Burdensome Data Collection Relief Act - Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to repeal the requirement that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) amend certain federal regulations about executive compensation to require each issuer of securities to disclose in any filing: (1) the median of the annual total compensation of all the issuer's employees, except the chief executive officer; (2) the annual total compensation of the chief executive officer; and (3) the ratio of the first amount to the second.

Date: 2013-03-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Small Business Clean Energy Financing Act of 2013 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a program to guarantee loans of small businesses that manufacture a clean energy technology in the United States.

Requires the Administrator, to the extent practicable, to carry out the program in a manner similar to the SBA 7(a) general business loan program.

Date: 2013-03-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development Act of 2013 or CREED Act of 2013 - Reinstates for a five-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act the authority for Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest refinancing of small business debt not involving business expansion under the SBA's local development business loan program.

Repeals a provision of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 which terminated such authority as of September 27, 2012.

States that no additional appropriations are authorized for the reinstated refinancing program.

Date: 2013-03-18
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Main Street Stabilization Act of 2013 - Directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a grant program for small business development centers. 

 Requires program funding to be used for: (1) the development of business advisory capacity, (2) the development of online tools and resources for struggling small businesses, (3) the deployment of additional resources to help industry sectors with a high presence of small businesses, and (4) the development of a listing of financing options for small business capital access. 

Prohibits the SBA from awarding an entity under this Act more than $250,000 in grant funds.

Date: 2013-03-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2013 - Amends the Paperwork Reduction Act to direct agency heads not to impose civil fines for first-time paperwork violations by small business concerns unless there is potential for serious harm to the public interest, the detection of criminal activity would be impaired, the violation is not corrected within six months, the violation is a violation of internal revenue law or a law concerning the assessment or collection of any tax, debt, revenue, or receipt, or the violation presents a danger to the public health or safety. Permits an agency to determine that a fine should not be imposed for a violation that presents a danger to public health or safety if the violation is corrected within 24 hours after receipt by the small business owner of notification of the violation.

Makes this Act inapplicable to any violation by a small business of a requirement regarding the collection of information by an agency if the small business previously violated any requirement concerning the collection of information by that agency.

Date: 2013-03-21
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Innovative Technologies Investment Incentive Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a new business-related tax credit for 25% of the equity investment (i.e., stock and capital or profits interest) in a small business concern that is engaged in a high technology or biotechnology trade or business and employs an average of fewer than 500 employees in a taxable year. Establishes a national innovative technology investment credit limitation of $500 million.

Date: 2013-04-09
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Taxation
Small Business Health Relief Act of 2013 - Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), that: (1) impose fines on large employers (those with more than 50 full-time employees) who fail to offer their full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential health insurance coverage, and (2) require such large employers to file a report with the Secretary of the Treasury on health insurance coverage provided to their full-time employees.

Repeals provisions of PPACA that: (1) set limits on the annual deductible on health plans offered in the small group market, (2) allow catastrophic plans to be offered in the individual market to individuals under the age of 30, and (3) impose an annual fee on health insurance entities.

Deems high deductible health plans to meet essential health benefits coverage requirements if the enrollee has established a health savings account.

Amends the Public Health Service Act, as amended by PPACA, to repeal the allowance of a premium rate variance by age in the individual or small group market.

Repeals restrictions on payments for medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending arrangements.

Repeals the limitation to $2,500 of annual salary reduction contributions by an employee to a health flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan.

Allows a health plan to maintain its status as a grandfathered health plan regardless of any modification to the cost-sharing levels, employer contribution rates, or covered benefits. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate regulations to clarify the application of such allowance. Makes this allowance effective as if included in PPACA. Voids any regulations promulgated pursuant to current related provisions before enactment of this Act.

Date: 2013-04-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Health
Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act to exclude as a small business, for purposes of meeting federal agency contracting goals with small businesses, any small business (or subsidiary thereof) that is publicly traded, or any business (or subsidiary thereof) with more than 50% non-U.S. citizen ownership. Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to notify the head of each federal department or agency regarding this Act and its amendments, and the department or agency head to then notify its contractors.

Directs the Administrator to: (1) publish a report regarding federal prime contracts awarded to businesses identified as small businesses for purposes of achieving small business contracting goals, and (2) establish procedures to ensure that the Central Contractor Registration database provides an adequate warning regarding criminal penalties for misrepresenting the status of a small business or person in order to obtain federal contracts.

Provides for enforcement of complaints about the classification of a business for such purposes.

Date: 2013-04-18
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Disaster Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to obtaining the best available collateral for a disaster loan of not more than $200,000 relating to damage to or destruction of the property of, or economic injury to, a small business concern. Prohibits the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), in obtaining such collateral, from requiring the small business owner to use the owner's primary residence as collateral if the owner has other assets with a value equal to or greater than the loan amount that could be used as collateral for the loan.

Allows the Administrator to authorize a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to provide assistance to small businesses outside the state of that SBDC, without regard to geographical proximity, if the small business is in an area for which the President has declared a major disaster.

Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator shall ensure that a SBDC is appropriately reimbursed for any legitimate expenses in carrying out such assistance.

Date: 2013-05-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Credit Availability Act - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to exclude from the meaning of financial entity any small bank, savings association, farm credit system institution, non-profit cooperative lender controlled by electric cooperatives, or credit union if the aggregate uncollateralized outward exposure plus aggregate potential outward exposure of the entity with respect to its swaps does not exceed $1 billion. (Thus exempts such entities from the clearing requirement.)

Date: 2013-05-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Make Every Small Business Count Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act provisions relating to federal agency contracting and subcontracting goals with respect to small businesses to allow prime contractors under a subcontracting plan pertaining to a single contract to receive credit under such goals for using small businesses as first tier subcontractors or at any tier under such plan.

Allows the prime contractor, if the subcontracting goals pertain to more than one contract with one or more federal agencies or to one contract with more than one federal agency, to count only first tier subcontractors that are small businesses.

Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to the congressional small business committees a report studying the feasibility of using federal subcontracting reporting systems to attribute subcontractors to particular contracts in the case of contractors that have subcontracting plans that pertain to multiple contracts with federal agencies.

Date: 2013-06-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Small Business Fairness Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act to permit a contract between a federal agency and a small business teaming arrangement entity to be deemed awarded for purposes of the small business procurement and services contracting goals established by the head of that agency if the obligations of such entity are performed by a qualified HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small business or a small business owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, or women.

Defines "teaming arrangement entity" as a prime contractor under a contractor team arrangement as defined under specified provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Date: 2013-06-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Strengthening Entrepreneurs' Economic Development Act of 2013 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish and carry out a direct lending program for small businesses (businesses with fewer than 20 employees). Sets forth provisions governing the amount and repayment period of, and interest rate on, such a loan. Authorizes the Administrator to collect a fee from the borrower.

Directs the Administrator to: (1) issue guidance regarding prudent underwriting standards for such loans; (2) establish a process of making each loan application available to lenders for the purpose of originating, underwriting, closing, and servicing the loan; (3) first give priority to lenders within 50 miles of the principal office of the applicant, then make such applications available to lenders in the Preferred Lenders Program, and then consider such a loan for origination, underwriting, closing, and servicing by the Administrator; (4) offer to sell loans made under the program through the semi-annual public solicitation of offers to purchase; and (5) maintain and service loans that are not sold through asset sales.

Amends the Small Business Act to require the SBA, for each small business loan in excess of $2 million that is approved under such Act, to collect a fee not to exceed a certain percentage of the outstanding balance of the deferred participation share of the loan as necessary to reduce to zero the cost to the SBA of making such loan.

Date: 2013-06-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Women's Procurement Program Equalization Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the procurement program for women-owned small businesses (providing a federal procurement contracting preference to such businesses) to condition a government contracting officer's authority to restrict competition for any such federal contract upon the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) certifying each of the businesses as a small business concern owned and controlled by women. (Currently, the small business concerns themselves certify to the contracting officer that they are such a business according to SBA standards.)

Allows a contracting officer to award a sole source contract to any economically disadvantaged women-owned small business if: (1) the small business is determined to be responsible and the contracting officer does not expect two or more of such businesses to submit offers; (2) the anticipated contract price will not exceed $6.5 million in the case of a manufacturing contract, or $4 million in the case of all other contracts; and (3) the contract can be made at a fair and reasonable price. Provides identical contracting authority for women-owned small businesses in substantially underrepresented industries.

Expands the reporting requirements with respect to small business procurement contracts to require federal agencies to submit annual reports to the Administrator regarding such sole source contracts as well as the industries within which various contracts were awarded.

Date: 2013-06-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
Ports as Small Business Incubators Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish the Ports as Small Business Incubators Program. Requires the Administrator to award grants of at least $300,000 and up to $500,000 to port authorities selected by the Administrator.

Allows grant funds to be used only for the costs of providing selected small businesses with access to commercial real property. Requires each Program participant, in providing such access, to give a priority to small businesses owned and controlled by women, veterans, or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, as well as those that the participant determines would create "green" jobs (jobs involving the development of clean energy and the improvement of air and water quality).

Date: 2013-06-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce
SBA Loan Paperwork Reduction Act of 2013 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out a Small Loan Advantage Program in the same manner as, and as a replacement for, the SBA Small Loan Advantage loan initiative. (Under the loan initiative, SBA lenders make partially guaranteed, lower-dollar small business loans which often benefit businesses in underserved areas or markets.)

Makes pilot program loan guarantee percentage limits inapplicable to such Program.

Authorizes the Administrator to increase the Program's maximum loan amount, reduce the Program's fees, and further streamline the Program's loan approval process.

Date: 2013-06-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Small Businesses)
Subject: Commerce