S 3194 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

2d SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

S. 3194CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the establishment of a small business common application and web portal for purposes of Federal small business assistance programs, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

May 16, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mrs. HAGAN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and EntrepreneurshipCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the establishment of a small business common application and web portal for purposes of Federal small business assistance programs, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Small Business Common Application Act of 2012’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the term ‘Administrator’ means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the term ‘Assistant Secretary’ means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the term ‘Executive agency’ has the same meaning as in section 105 of title 5, United States Code;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the term ‘Executive Committee’ means the Executive Committee on a Small Business Common Application established under section 4; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the term ‘small business concern’ has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A SMALL BUSINESS COMMON APPLICATION AND WEB PORTAL.

(a) Common Application and Web Portal- Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall establish a small business common application and web portal.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Common Application and Web Portal-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The web portal established under subsection (a) shall allow a small business concern to submit a single common application to apply for Federal assistance provided by any Executive agency, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) a loan;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) a loan guarantee;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) a grant;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) technical assistance;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) counseling services; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) other forms of assistance provided by an Executive agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) GOALS- The small business common application and web portal established under subsection (a) shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) maximize the ability of small business concerns to use the common application and web portal to interact with Executive agencies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) maintain high standards for data privacy and security;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) increase the degree and ease of information sharing and coordination among programs serving small business concerns that are carried out by Executive agencies, including State and local offices of Executive agencies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) minimize redundancy in the administration of programs that use the common application and web portal.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Use of Common Application and Web Portal- Each Executive agency that provides Federal assistance to small business concerns shall amend the rules of the Executive agency to provide for use of the common application and web portal to apply for such Federal assistance.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Rules- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall issue final rules establishing the small business common application and web portal under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Maintenance and Amendment- The Administrator shall maintain the small business common application and web portal established under subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON A SMALL BUSINESS COMMON APPLICATION.

(a) Establishment- There is established in the Economic Development Administration an Executive Committee on a Small Business Common Application, which shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) make recommendations regarding the establishment of the small business common application and web portal under section 3;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) monitor the implementation of the small business common application and web portal; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) make periodic recommendations to the Administrator for the improvement of the small business common application and web portal.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Membership-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The members of the Executive Committee shall consist of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the Assistant Secretary; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) 1 senior officer or employee having policy and technical expertise appointed by each of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) the Administrator of the General Services Administration;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) the Director of the National Institutes of Health;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) the Director of the National Science Foundation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) the President of the Export-Import Bank;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vi) the Secretary of Agriculture;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vii) the Secretary of Defense;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(viii) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ix) the Secretary of Labor;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(x) the Secretary of State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(xi) the Secretary of the Treasury; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(xii) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CHAIRPERSON- The Assistant Secretary shall serve as chairperson of the Executive Committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT- Members of the Executive Committee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) VACANCIES- A vacancy in the Executive Committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, not later than 30 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Meetings-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson of the Executive Committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) QUORUM- A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) FIRST MEETING- The first meeting of the Executive Committee shall take place not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) PUBLIC MEETING- The Executive Committee shall hold at least one public meeting before the date described in subsection (d)(1) to receive comments from small business concerns and other interested parties.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Duties-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) RECOMMENDATIONS- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, upon a vote of the majority of members of the Executive Committee then serving, the Executive Committee shall submit to the Administrator recommendations relating to the establishment of the small business common application and web portal described in section 3.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) TRANSMISSION TO EXECUTIVE AGENCIES- The Executive Committee shall transmit to each Executive agency a complete copy of the recommendations submitted under paragraph (1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) RECOMMENDATIONS BY EXECUTIVE AGENCIES- Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Executive Committee transmits recommendations to the Executive agency under paragraph (2), each Executive agency that provides Federal assistance to small business concerns shall submit to Congress recommendations, if any, for legislative changes necessary for the Executive agency to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Personnel Matters-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS- The members of the Executive Committee shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DETAIL OF EMPLOYEES- The Administrator may detail to the Executive Committee any employee of the Economic Development Administration, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Federal Advisory Committee Act- Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply with respect to the Executive Committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink