Doe and Sba Research Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 788) to provide for Department of Energy and Small Business Administration joint research and development activities, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 788
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 ``DOE and SBA Research Act''. SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION JOINT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (in this section referred to as the ``covered officials'') shall enter into a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate agreement to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activities focused on the joint advancement of Department of Energy and Small Business Administration mission requirements and priorities.
(b) Memorandum of Understanding or Agreement.--The covered officials shall carry out and coordinate the activities described in subsection (a) by entering into one or more memoranda of understanding or other appropriate agreements, as jointly determined by the covered officials.
(c) Inclusion of Small Business Concerns.--In carrying out the activities described in subsection (a), the covered officials shall ensure the inclusion of small business concerns (as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) in such activities, as appropriate.
(d) Other Requirements.--In carrying out the activities described in subsection (a), the covered officials may--
(1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration, and appropriate entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of research and development activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b); and
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate to carry out such activities.
(e) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the covered officials shall submit to Congress a report on activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b) that includes the following:
(1) Coordination between the covered officials involved in such activities.
(2) Potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration.
(3) Collaborative research achievements.
(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial success.
(5) Continuation of coordination activities between the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration.
(f) Research Security.--The activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b) shall be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.). SEC. 3. COMPLIANCE WITH CUTGO.
No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 788, the DOE and SBA Research Act, led by my colleagues, Representatives LaLota, Morrison, and Thanedar.
This legislation would require the SBA and DOE to enter a memorandum of understanding to help unify and streamline research efforts between the national labs and American small businesses. Currently, the 17 national laboratories across the United States provide the government with some of its most cutting-edge research.
At the same time, our Nation's small businesses contribute extensively to public and private sector research and development efforts. Aligning research efforts between the DOE and the SBA would increase the efficiency of the national labs and better integrate small business innovation into government research.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R.
Mr. VAN DREW. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 788. It is a good and innovative bill.
I also today wanted to speak in support of H.R. 832, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2025.
I am proud to join my good friend and a great colleague and chairman, Roger Williams, in introducing this bill, which will ensure that American small businesses have a strong voice in trade and on the discussions that take place on the global stage.
My home and my district of southern New Jersey represents--as so much of the United States of America--a small business community that is the backbone of our economy; driving innovation, creating jobs, and strengthening communities.
In today's world, small businesses face competition not just from their neighbors and other States, but from businesses and corporations around the globe. These businesses face challenges that larger corporations are often better equipped to navigate.
This bill will clarify the authority of the Small Business Administration's august Office of Advocacy to examine international economic data and represent small business interests in trade negotiations, ensuring that our small business people are not left behind.
America, as we know it, can't exist without small businesses, and this bill will give them a leg up to make the American economy even stronger.
I urge my colleagues to support both of these bills, H.R. 788 and H.R. 832, and stand with America's small businesses.
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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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