S.Amdt. 5501

SA 5501. Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. Stevens) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 3001, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 311, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:

SEC. 1083. SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS FOR SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS.

(a) Definitions.--In this section--

(1) the terms “Administration” and “Administrator” mean the Small Business Administration and the Administrator thereof, respectively; and

(2) the term “small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans” has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632), as amended by this section.

(b) Certification.--

(1) Congressional intent.--It is the intent of Congress that the Administrator should accept certifications by the Department of Veterans Affairs, under such criteria as the Administrator may prescribe, by regulation or order, in certifying small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans

(2) Regulations.--Before implementing paragraph (1), the Administrator shall promulgate regulations or orders ensuring appropriate certification safeguards to be implemented by the Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(3) Registration portal.--The Administrator and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans may apply to participate in all programs for such small business concerns carried out by the Administrator or the Secretary through a single process.

(c) Transition Period for Surviving Spouses or Permanent Care Givers.--Section 3(q)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(q)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:

“(B) the management and daily business operations of which are controlled--

“(i) by 1 or more service-disabled veterans or, in the case of a veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent care giver of such veteran; or

“(ii) for a period of not longer than 10 years after the death of a service-disabled veteran, by a surviving spouse or permanent caregiver thereof.”.

(d) Mentor-Protege Program.--The Administrator may establish a mentor-protege program for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, modeled on the mentor-protege program of the Administration for small businesses participating in programs under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)).

(e) Improving Opportunities for Service Disabled Veterans.--Section 36(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657f(a)) is amended--

(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “may” and inserting “shall”; and

(2) in paragraph (1), by striking “and the contracting officer” and all that follows through “contracting opportunity”.