Step Improvement Act of 2020
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6133) to reauthorize the State Trade Expansion Program of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6133
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``STEP Improvement Act of 2020''. SEC. 2. STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM.
(a) Application Requirements.--Section 22(l)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) in clause (i), by inserting ``, including a budget plan for use of funds awarded under this subsection'' before the period at the end; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) Timing.--The Associate Administrator shall--
``(I) publish information on how to apply for a grant under this subsection, including specific calculations and other determinations used to award such a grant, not later than March 31 of each year;
``(II) establish a deadline for the submission of applications that is not earlier than 60 days after the date on which the information is published under subclause (I), but in any case not later than May 31; and
``(III) announce grant recipients not later than August 31 of each year.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(E) Application information.--The Associate Administrator shall clearly communicate to applicants and grant recipients any information about State Trade Expansion Program, including--
``(i) for each unsuccessful applicant for a grant awarded under this subsection, recommendations to improve a subsequent application for such a grant; and
``(ii) for each successful applicant for such a grant, an explanation for the amount awarded, if different from the amount requested in the application.
``(F) Budget plan revisions.--
``(i) In general.--A State receiving a grant under this subsection may revise the budget plan of the State submitted under subparagraph (D) after the disbursal of grant funds if--
``(I) the revision complies with allowable uses of grant funds under this subsection; and
``(II) such State submits notification of the revision to the Associate Administrator.
``(ii) Exception.--If a revision under clause (i) reallocates 10 percent or more of the amounts described in the budget plan of the State submitted under subparagraph (D), the State may not implement the revised budget plan without the approval of the Associate Administrator, unless the Associate Administrator fails to approve or deny the revised plan within 10 days after receipt of such revised plan.''.
(b) Survey.--Section 22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new paragraph:
``(7) Survey.--The Associate Administrator shall conduct an annual survey of each State that received a grant under this subsection during the preceding year to solicit feedback on the program.''.
(c) Annual Report.--Section 22(l)(8)(B) of the Small Business Act, as redesignated by subsection (b), is amended--
(1) in clause (i)--
(A) in subclause (III), by inserting ``, including the total number of eligible small business concerns assisted by the program (disaggregated by socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and rural small business concerns)'' before the semicolon at the end;
(B) in subclause (IV), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(C) in subclause (V)--
(i) by striking ``description of best practices'' and inserting ``detailed description of best practices''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new subclauses:
``(VI) an analysis of the performance metrics described in clause (iii) and the survey described in paragraph (7); and
``(VII) a description of lessons learned by grant recipients under this subsection that may apply to other assistance provided by the Administration.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) Performance metrics.--Annually, the Associate Administrator shall collect data on eligible small business concerns assisted by the program on the following performance metrics:
``(I) Total number of such concerns, disaggregated by socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and rural small business concerns.
``(II) Total dollar amount of export sales by eligible small business concerns assisted by the program.
``(III) Number of such concerns that have not previously participated in an activity described in paragraph (2).
``(IV) Number of such concerns that have previously participated in the program.
``(V) Number of such concerns that, because of participation in the program, have accessed a new market.
``(VI) Number of such concerns that, because of participation in the program, have created new jobs.
``(VII) Number of such concerns participating in foreign trade missions or trade show exhibitions, disaggregated by socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and rural small business concerns.''.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 22(l)(10) of the Small Business Act, as redesignated by subsection (b), is amended by striking ``fiscal years 2016 through 2020'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2021 through 2024''.
(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Associate Administrator for International Trade of the Small Business Administration shall submit to Congress a report on the State Trade Expansion Program established under section 22(l) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 649(l)) that includes a description of--
(1) the process developed for review of revised budget plans submitted under section 22(l)(3)(F) of the Small Business Act, as added by this Act;
(2) any changes made to streamline the application process to remove duplicative requirements and create a more transparent process;
(3) the process developed to share best practices by States described in section 22(l)(8)(B)(i)(V) (as redesignated by this Act), particularly for first-time grant recipients under the State Trade Expansion Program or grant recipients that are facing problems using grant funds; and
(4) the process developed to communicate, both verbally and in writing, relevant information about the State Trade Expansion Program to all grant recipients in a timely manner.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6133, the STEP Improvement Act of 2020.
Before I begin, I thank Ranking Member Chabot for his dedication to small businesses and for his continued effort to ensure the Committee on Small Business works in a bipartisan manner. Staying true to the tradition of our committee, the bills we are debating today are all bipartisan and passed through committee by unanimous consent, thanks to the cooperation of Members on both sides of the aisle. I commend and thank all of the committee members for their work on those bills and their passion to put forth policies that make a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs.
Mr. Speaker, today's bill is one of those passion projects. After many hearings about the challenges and benefits of exporting and trade for America's business owners, this bill addresses many of the concerns raised. It reauthorizes the SBA State Trade Expansion Program-- otherwise known as STEP--a proven and effective program that gives small businesses the tools they need to enter and thrive in the global marketplace.
STEP has helped small firms export and access new markets, supporting $974 million in export sales in fiscal year 2019 alone. With the COVID- 19 pandemic continuing to decimate local economies and disrupting supply chains, the STEP program will be needed now more than ever. It will help small businesses navigate the complexities of an international marketplace, particularly as the country and world reopen for business. The STEP Improvement Act of 2020 funds STEP through fiscal year 2024 while making important improvements to modernize the program.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that this legislation has the support of the State International Development Organizations. I thank its cosponsors, Representative Finkenauer, who is also the chair of the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship; and Representative Spano, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations, for their continued bipartisan work to improve STEP.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to support H.R.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Finkenauer), the sponsor of the bill and chair of the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship.
Mr. Speaker, small businesses are truly the bedrock of the American economy. Unsurprisingly, foreign markets are essential to their growth. While more and more of our local businesses are making inroads abroad, they are not without challenges.
International trade has always been a complex undertaking, dependent on global macroeconomic trends as well as country-specific trade policies and resources.
Regardless, it is critical entrepreneurs can compete in this marketplace. Doing so gives them access to more customers, which in turn fuels growth and generates jobs here at home.
H.R. 6133, the STEP Improvement Act of 2020, will go a long way to ensuring the recovery and success of our Nation's small businesses. By reauthorizing and modernizing STEP, this legislation guarantees that States and their entrepreneurs will face fewer obstacles to participation and greater opportunities to expand their businesses through exporting.
This bill is needed now more than ever as the world seeks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic fallout.
Once again, I applaud my esteemed colleagues, Representative Finkenauer and Representative Spano, for their hard work on this legislation.
I commend the ranking member and his staff for their commitment to advancing this legislation in a bipartisan manner through our committee.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source