S. 38 – Reading Mode | Legislate.dev

Calendar No. 162

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 38

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 24 (legislative day, January 3), 2023

Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

July 25, 2023

Reported by Mr. Cardin, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

A BILL

To amend the Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business Program, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2023.

Boots to Business Program

Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(h)

Boots to Business Program

(1)

Covered individual defined

In this subsection, the term covered individual means—

(A)

a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves;

(B)

an individual who is participating in the Transition Assistance Program established under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;

(C)

an individual who—

(i)

served on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves; and

(ii)

was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable; and

(D)

a spouse or dependent of an individual described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).

(2)

Establishment

During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this subsection and ending on September 30, 2028, the Administrator shall carry out a program to be known as the Boots to Business Program to provide entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.

(3)

Goals

The goals of the Boots to Business Program are to—

(A)

provide assistance and in-depth training to covered individuals interested in business ownership; and

(B)

provide covered individuals with the tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity, draft a business plan, identify sources of capital, connect with local resources for small business concerns, and start up a small business concern.

(4)

Program components

(A)

In general

The Boots to Business Program may include—

(i)

a presentation providing exposure to the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;

(ii)

an online, self-study course focused on the basic skills of entrepreneurship, the language of business, and the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;

(iii)

an in-person classroom instruction component providing an introduction to the foundations of self employment and ownership of a small business concern; and

(iv)

in-depth training delivered through online instruction, including an online course that leads to the creation of a business plan.

(B)

Collaboration

The Administrator may—

(i)

collaborate with public and private entities to develop course curricula for the Boots to Business Program; and

(ii)

modify program components in coordination with entities participating in a Warriors in Transition program, as defined in section 738(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10 U.S.C. 1071 note).

(C)

Use of resource partners and district offices

(i)

In general

The Administrator shall—

(I)

ensure that Veteran Business Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to Business Program; and

(II)

to the maximum extent practicable, use district offices of the Administration and a variety of other resource partners and entities in administering the Boots to Business Program.

(ii)

Grant authority

In carrying out clause (i), the Administrator may make grants to Veteran Business Outreach Centers, other resource partners, or other entities to carry out components of the Boots to Business Program.

(D)

Availability to Department of Defense and the Department of Labor

The Administrator shall make available to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor information regarding the Boots to Business Program, including all course materials and outreach materials related to the Boots to Business Program, for inclusion on the websites of the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor relating to the Transition Assistance Program, in the Transition Assistance Program manual, and in other relevant materials available for distribution from the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor.

(E)

Availability to Department of Veterans Affairs

In consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator shall make available for distribution and display on the website of the Department of Veterans Affairs and at local facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs outreach materials regarding the Boots to Business Program, which shall, at a minimum—

(i)

describe the Boots to Business Program and the services provided; and

(ii)

include eligibility requirements for participating in the Boots to Business Program.

(F)

Availability to other participating agencies

The Administrator shall ensure information regarding the Boots to Business program, including all course materials and outreach materials related to the Boots to Business Program, is made available to other participating agencies in the Transition Assistance Program and upon request of other agencies.

(5)

Competitive bidding procedures

The Administration shall use relevant competitive bidding procedures with respect to any contract or cooperative agreement executed by the Administration under the Boots to Business Program.

(6)

Publication of notice of funding opportunity

Not later than 30 days before the deadline for submitting applications for any funding opportunity under the Boots to Business Program, the Administration shall publish a notice of the funding opportunity.

(7)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Administrator 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 on the performance and effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program, which—

(A)

may be included as part of another report submitted to such committees by the Administrator related to the Office of Veterans Business Development; and

(B)

shall summarize available information relating to—

(i)

grants awarded under paragraph (4)(C);

(ii)

the total cost of the Boots to Business Program;

(iii)

the amount of program funds used for domestic and international travel expenses;

(iv)

the number of program participants using each component of the Boots to Business Program;

(v)

the completion rates for each component of the Boots to Business Program;

(vi)

to the extent possible—

(I)

the demographics of program participants, to include gender, age, race, ethnicity, and relationship to military;

(II)

the number of program participants that connect with a district office of the Administration, a Veteran Business Outreach Center, or another resource partner of the Administration;

(III)

the number of program participants that start a small business concern;

(IV)

the results of the Boots to Business and Boots to Business Reboot course quality surveys conducted by the Office of Veterans Business Development before and after attending each of those courses, including a summary of any comments received from program participants;

(V)

the results of the Boots to Business Program outcome surveys conducted by the Office of Veterans Business Development, including a summary of any comments received from program participants; and

(VI)

the results of other germane participant satisfaction surveys;

(C)

an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program based on each geographic region covered by the Administration during the most recent fiscal year;

(D)

an assessment of additional performance outcome measures for the Boots to Business Program, as identified by the Administrator;

(E)

any recommendations of the Administrator for improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may include expansion of the types of individuals who are covered individuals;

(F)

an explanation of how the Boots to Business Program has been integrated with other transition programs and related resources of the Administration and other Federal agencies; and

(G)

any additional information the Administrator determines necessary.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2023.

Boots to Business Program

Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(h)

Boots to Business Program

(1)

Covered individual defined

In this subsection, the term covered individual means—

(A)

a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves;

(B)

an individual who is participating in the Transition Assistance Program established under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;

(C)

an individual who—

(i)

served on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves; and

(ii)

was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable; and

(D)

a spouse or dependent of an individual described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).

(2)

Establishment

(3)

Goals

The goals of the Boots to Business Program are to—

(A)

provide assistance and in-depth training to covered individuals interested in business ownership; and

(B)

(4)

Program components

(A)

In general

The Boots to Business Program may include—

(i)

an in-person and virtual, as applicable, presentation providing exposure to the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;

(ii)

an online, self-study course focused on the basic skills of entrepreneurship, the language of business, and the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;

(iii)

an in-person and virtual, as applicable, classroom instruction component providing an introduction to the foundations of self employment and ownership of a small business concern; and

(iv)

in-depth training delivered through online instruction, including an online course that leads to the creation of a business plan.

(B)

Travel costs

(i)

In general

Subject to the other provisions of this subparagraph, of the total amount of grant funding that a Veteran Business Outreach Center participating in the Boots to Business Program receives from the Administration, the center may not expend more than 35 percent of that funding on costs relating to international travel with respect to the Boots to Business Program.

(ii)

Costs not included in cap

Costs relating to the salaries of, or stipends for, instructors under the Boots to Business Program shall not be included for the purposes of the limitation under clause (i).

(iii)

Petition

(I)

In general

A Veteran Business Outreach Center may petition the Administrator for the center to expend additional funds beyond the limitation under clause (i) for the purposes described in that clause.

(II)

Notification requirement

If the Administrator grants any petition submitted under subclause (I), the Administrator 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 notification regarding that decision by the Administrator.

(C)

Collaboration

The Administrator may—

(i)

collaborate with public and private entities to develop course curricula for the Boots to Business Program;

(ii)

(iii)

consult with Directors of Veteran Business Outreach Centers regarding the necessity of instructor international travel and the feasibility of incorporating virtual classroom components.

(D)

Use of resource partners and district offices

(i)

In general

The Administrator shall—

(I)

ensure that Veteran Business Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to Business Program; and

(II)

to the maximum extent practicable, use district offices of the Administration and a variety of other resource partners and entities in administering the Boots to Business Program.

(ii)

Grant authority

(E)

Availability to Department of Defense and the Department of Labor

(F)

Availability to Department of Veterans Affairs

(i)

describe the Boots to Business Program and the services provided; and

(ii)

include eligibility requirements for participating in the Boots to Business Program.

(G)

Availability to other participating agencies

(5)

Competitive bidding procedures

The Administration shall use relevant competitive bidding procedures with respect to any contract or cooperative agreement executed by the Administration under the Boots to Business Program.

(6)

Publication of notice of funding opportunity

(7)

Report

(A)

may be included as part of another report submitted to such committees by the Administrator related to the Office of Veterans Business Development; and

(B)

shall summarize available information relating to—

(i)

grants awarded under paragraph (4)(D);

(ii)

the total cost of the Boots to Business Program;

(iii)

the amount of program funds used for domestic and international travel expenses;

(iv)

each domestic location and international location traveled to for Boots to Business program instruction;

(v)

the number of program participants using each component of the Boots to Business Program;

(vi)

the completion rates for each component of the Boots to Business Program; and

(vii)

to the extent possible—

(I)

the demographics of program participants, to include gender, age, race, ethnicity, and relationship to the Armed Forces;

(II)

the number of program participants that connect with a district office of the Administration, a Veteran Business Outreach Center, or another resource partner of the Administration;

(III)

the number of program participants that start a small business concern;

(IV)

(V)

the results of the Boots to Business Program outcome surveys conducted by the Office of Veterans Business Development, including a summary of any comments received from program participants; and

(VI)

the results of other germane participant satisfaction surveys;

(C)

an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program based on each geographic region covered by the Administration during the most recent fiscal year;

(D)

an assessment of additional performance outcome measures for the Boots to Business Program, as identified by the Administrator;

(E)

any recommendations of the Administrator for improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may include expansion of the types of individuals who are covered individuals;

(F)

an explanation of how the Boots to Business Program has been integrated with other transition programs and related resources of the Administration and other Federal agencies; and

(G)

any additional information the Administrator determines necessary.

July 25, 2023

Reported with an amendment