S.Amdt. 230

1. Rewrites section 501

   Replaces

   In S. 493 · Reported to Senate

   SEC. 501. [inserted: NATIONALLY IMPORTANT ]RESEARCH TOPICS AND [struck: PROGRAM DIVERSIFICATION][inserted: CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES].

   (a) SBIR Program.--Section 9(g) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(g)) is amended--

   Struck: (1) in paragraph (3)--

   Struck: (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking "broad research topics and to topics that further 1 or more critical technologies" and inserting "applications to the Federal agency for support of projects relating to nanotechnology, rare diseases, security, energy, transportation, or improving the security and quality of the water supply of the United States, and the efficiency of water delivery systems and usage patterns in the United States (including the territories of the United States) through the use of technology (to the extent that the projects relate to the mission of the Federal agency), broad research topics, and topics that further 1 or more critical technologies or research priorities";

   Struck: (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking "or" at the end; and

   Struck: (C) by adding at the end the following:

   Show 4 more struck paragraphsShow less

   Struck: "(C) the National Academy of Sciences, in the final report issued by the 'America's Energy Future: Technology Opportunities, Risks, and Tradeoffs' project, and in any subsequent report by the National Academy of Sciences on sustainability, energy, or alternative fuels;

   Struck: "(D) the National Institutes of Health, in the annual report on the rare diseases research activities of the National Institutes of Health for fiscal year 2005, and in any subsequent report by the National Institutes of Health on rare diseases research activities;

   Struck: "(E) the National Academy of Sciences, in the final report issued by the 'Transit Research and Development: Federal Role in the National Program' project and the report entitled 'Transportation Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan (2006-2010)' issued by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration of the Department of Transportation, and in any subsequent report issued by the National Academy of Sciences or the Department of Transportation on transportation and infrastructure; or

   Struck: "(F) the national nanotechnology strategic plan required under section 2(c)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(c)(4)) and in any report issued by the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Technology that focuses on areas of nanotechnology identified in such plan;"; and

   Inserted: (1) in paragraph (3), by striking "critical technologies" and all that follows and inserting the following: "nationally important research topics or critical technologies, including nationally important research topics or critical technologies identified by the Interagency SBIR/ STTR Policy Committee;"; and

   (2) by adding after paragraph (12), as added by section 111(a) of this Act, the following:

   "(13) encourage applications under the SBIR program (to the extent that the projects relate to the mission of the Federal agency)--

   4 unchanged paragraphsHide unchanged text

   "(A) from small business concerns in geographic areas underrepresented in the SBIR program or located in rural areas (as defined in section 1393(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986);

   "(B) small business concerns owned and controlled by women;

   "(C) small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans;

   "(D) small business concerns owned and controlled by Native Americans; and

   "(E) small business concerns located in a geographic area with an unemployment rates that exceed the national unemployment rate, based on the most recently available monthly publications of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.".

   (b) STTR Program.--Section 9(o) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(o)), as amended by section 111(b) of this Act, is amended--

   Struck: (1) in paragraph (3)--

   Struck: (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking "broad research topics and to topics that further 1 or more critical technologies" and inserting "applications to the Federal agency for support of projects relating to nanotechnology, security, energy, rare diseases, transportation, or improving the security and quality of the water supply of the United States (to the extent that the projects relate to the mission of the Federal agency), broad research topics, and topics that further 1 or more critical technologies or research priorities";

   Struck: (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking "or" at the end; and

   Struck: (C) by adding at the end the following:

   Show 4 more struck paragraphsShow less

   Struck: "(C) the National Academy of Sciences, in the final report issued by the 'America's Energy Future: Technology Opportunities, Risks, and Tradeoffs' project, and in any subsequent report by the National Academy of Sciences on sustainability, energy, or alternative fuels;

   Struck: "(D) the National Institutes of Health, in the annual report on the rare diseases research activities of the National Institutes of Health for fiscal year 2005, and in any subsequent report by the National Institutes of Health on rare diseases research activities;

   Struck: "(E) the National Academy of Sciences, in the final report issued by the 'Transit Research and Development: Federal Role in the National Program' project and the report entitled 'Transportation Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan (2006-2010)' issued by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration of the Department of Transportation, and in any subsequent report issued by the National Academy of Sciences or the Department of Transportation on transportation and infrastructure; or

   Struck: "(F) the national nanotechnology strategic plan required under section 2(c)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(c)(4)) and in any report issued by the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Technology that focuses on areas of nanotechnology identified in such plan;";

   Inserted: (1) in paragraph (3), by striking "critical technologies" and all that follows and inserting the following: "nationally important research topics or critical technologies, including nationally important research topics or critical technologies identified by the Interagency SBIR/ STTR Policy Committee;";

   (2) in paragraph (15), by striking "and" at the end;

   (3) in paragraph (16), by striking the period at the end and inserting "; and"; and

   5 unchanged paragraphsHide unchanged text

   (4) by adding at the end the following:

   "(17) encourage applications under the STTR program (to the extent that the projects relate to the mission of the Federal agency)--

   "(A) from small business concerns in geographic areas underrepresented in the STTR program or located in rural areas (as defined in section 1393(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986);

   "(B) small business concerns owned and controlled by women;

   "(C) small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans;

   "(D) small business concerns owned and controlled by Native Americans; and

   "(E) small business concerns located in a geographic area with an unemployment rates that exceed the national unemployment rate, based on the most recently available monthly publications of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.".

   Inserted: (c) Nationally Important Research Topics and Critical Technologies.--

   ([struck: c][inserted: 1]) [struck: Research and Development Focus][inserted: Amendment].--Section 9[struck: (x)] of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638[struck: (x])[struck: )] is amended[struck: --][inserted: by adding after subsection (mm), as added by section 503 of this Act, the following:]

   Struck: (1) by striking paragraph (2); and

   Struck: (2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).

   Inserted: "(nn) Biennial Report on Nationally Important Research Topics and Critical Technologies.--

   Inserted: "(1) Report required.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--Not later than October 1, 2012, and every 2 years thereafter, the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report that identifies nationally important research topics and critical technologies. For purposes of this subsection, a nationally important research topic or critical technology may include a research topic or technology that relates to nanotechnology, rare diseases, security, energy, transportation, improving the security and quality of the water supply of the United States, or the efficiency of water delivery systems.

   Inserted: "(B) Contents.--Each report required under subparagraph (A) shall include, for each research topic or critical technology identified in the report--

   Inserted: "(i) the reasons the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee selected the research topic or technology;

   Inserted: "(ii) the state of the development of the research topic or technology in the United States and in other countries; and

   Inserted: "(iii) an estimate of the current and anticipated level of research and development efforts in the United States concerning the research topic or technology.

   Inserted: "(C) Maximum number of nationally important research topics and critical technologies.--A report submitted under subparagraph (A) may not identify more than 30 research topics and technologies as nationally important research topics or critical technologies.

   Inserted: "(2) Determination of national importance.--

   Inserted: "(A) Determination.--The Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee may identify a research topic or technology as a nationally important research topic or critical technology if the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee determines it is essential for the United States to develop the research topic or technology to further the long-term national security or economic prosperity of the United States.

   Inserted: "(B) Considerations.--In making a determination under subparagraph (A), the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee shall consider--

   Inserted: "(i) reports by the National Academies of Science; and

   Show 5 more inserted paragraphsShow less

   Inserted: "(ii) other nationally recognized strategic plans, strategies, or roadmaps.".

   Inserted: (2) Prospective repeal.--Effective September 30, 2016, section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638), as amended by this subsection, is amended--

   Inserted: (A) in subsection (g)(3), by striking ", including nationally important research topics or critical technologies identified by the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee";

   Inserted: (B) in subsection (o)(3), by striking ", including nationally important research topics or critical technologies identified by the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee"; and

   Inserted: (C) by striking subsection (nn).

   Original wording

   Strike section 501 and insert the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed