Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership on this very important issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6760, the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act. As chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I have closely examined the effects that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that we previously passed has had on America's small businesses, on startups, and on entrepreneurs.

From a Small Business Committee hearing that I chaired in July that reviewed the impact of that law on Main Street companies to the many small business optimism surveys that are published on a monthly business, the results are in, and they are positive for our Nation's 30 million small businesses that about half of the workers in this country work for. They work for small businesses.

The tax cuts have provided small businesses with the opportunity to invest in their workers, invest in their equipment, and invest in their dreams. A small business owner in my district in southern Ohio recently testified: ``The recent tax reduction will have a positive impact on our employees in 2018 and beyond.''

The shops on Main Street all across America are transforming our communities and neighborhoods with job growth and business expansion, and that means jobs for more Americans.

With our economic engines starting to rev, Congress should take the next step in the tax debate, which is making the tax cuts for our Nation's job creators permanent. That is what we are doing here today.

Making section 199A, the small business pass-through provision, stronger will be a benefit to small businesses from my State of Ohio and to our States all across the country, from coast to coast.

I applaud the work of Mr. Davis, Mr. Brady, and the other members of the Ways and Means Committee on this issue. It has been very important. When our Nation's small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups are thriving, so are their employees, the families of those employees, and America's consumers.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6348) to adjust the real estate appraisal thresholds under the section 504 program to bring them into line with the thresholds used by the Federal banking regulators, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the House Small Business Committee strives to create an environment where small businesses can thrive and create jobs. Unfortunately, small businesses are often hampered by conflicting Federal rules and regulations. This is the case when it comes to the appraisal threshold for commercial real estate.

Earlier this year, Federal financial regulators, including the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, increased the commercial real estate appraisal threshold from $250,000 to $500,000. Unfortunately, the Small Business Administration's threshold for the real estate-heavy 504/CDC loan program is set in statute at $250,000. The conflicting numbers produce confusion for and burdens on small business owners and the organizations that strive to assist them.

H.R. 6348, the Small Business Access to Capital and Efficiency Act, also known as the Small Business ACE Act, modernizes and benchmarks the SBA's 504/CDC threshold value with the value set by the Federal financial regulators. This commonsense legislation will prevent future threshold changes from hampering small businesses that utilize SBA's many lending products.

I want to thank Mr. Curtis of Utah for leading the efforts on this bill, as well as Ranking Member Velazquez

and Mr. Evans. It has broad bipartisan support.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 6348, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for her indications that we work very much in a bipartisan manner in our committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), whom I thank for his leadership in this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans) for his leadership on this.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, to conclude, the SBA's 504/CDC loan program is vital to many creditworthy small businesses that cannot obtain credit elsewhere. To reduce confusion from conflicting Federal rules, H.R. 6348 will update and bring SBA's commercial real estate threshold to the same level as other Federal financial regulators.

We must continue to work together to free small business owners from conflicting Federal regulations. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan reform instituted in H.R. 6348.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6347) to adjust the real estate appraisal thresholds under the 7(a) program to bring them into line with the thresholds used by the Federal banking regulators, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, similar to the SBA's 504/CDC loan program, the SBA's 7(a) loan program assists small businesses that have a business plan in place for success but do not have the ability to obtain credit elsewhere. Through a partnership with financial institutions, the SBA provides a government guarantee to help the small business grow and create jobs. Importantly, this program has been running on zero cost to the American taxpayers for years.

While the economy has been improving, conflicting Federal rules and regulations often present uncertainty and confusion for small businesses and those within the 7(a) loan program.

When an SBA 7(a) loan is used in a commercial real estate transaction, a formal State licensed or certified appraisal is statutorily required on all transactions above $250,000. However, the value set by Federal financial regulators has recently been increased from $250,000 to $500,000. To provide clarity for small businesses, H.R. 6347 modernizes and mirrors the SBA's commercial real estate appraisal threshold with the value set by Federal financial regulators.

Similar to H.R. 6348, H.R. 6347 does not provide an exact dollar threshold. Rather, it ties the SBA's 7(a) threshold to the value set by Federal financial regulators. This benchmark provision will prevent conflict as the threshold value is updated in the future.

I would like to thank Mr. Evans and Mr. Curtis for working in a bipartisan manner to find a solution to this problem that is impacting small businesses. The bill has broad bipartisan support.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 6347, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans) for his leadership on this bill.

Small businesses do not employ an army of tax and accounting specialists. All too often, the small business owner must sacrifice time and energy away from growing his or her business to comply with Federal rules and regulations. While we are making progress on reducing regulations, at times, Federal rules conflict.

As we have heard today, H.R. 6347 aims to reduce the confusion that exists for small businesses that utilize the Small Business Administration's 7(a) loan program when it comes to the commercial real estate appraisal threshold.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan updates proposed in this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6316) to clarify the primary functions and duties of the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 6316, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2018, which clarifies the role of the Office of Advocacy of the United States Small Business Administration.

The Office of Advocacy is charged with representing small businesses before Federal agencies whose policies and activities may affect small businesses. It also examines the role of small business in the American economy and the contributions small businesses can make in improving competition. This office plays a vital role in ensuring that small businesses are heard when the Federal Government makes policy decisions that will impact them.

Currently, the law is silent regarding the Office of Advocacy's ability to study the role of small business in international economies, which is an important avenue for small businesses as they seek opportunities to expand overseas. This bill would clarify that the Office of Advocacy should include international economies as part of its research functions.

The law is also silent regarding the Office of Advocacy's authority to represent small businesses before foreign governments and international entities. It is important for small businesses to have their views and interests on regulatory and trade initiatives represented in the international space.

This bill clarifies the Office of Advocacy's ability to represent small business views and interests before foreign governments and other international entities for the purpose of contributing to regulatory and trade initiatives.

I want to thank Mr. Comer and Ms. Adams for working on this issue and producing a simple solution to clarify the Office of Advocacy's role.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this straightforward legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer), and I thank him for his leadership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to, again, thank Mr. Comer and Ms. Adams for their leadership on this measure.

The Office of Advocacy is a critical Federal agency charged with representing America's 30 million small firms across the Federal Government. They have done outstanding work on behalf of our Nation's small businesses. But as we have discussed, current law is silent on whether it can research and advocate on behalf of small business on international matters. This bipartisan legislation offers a simple solution to allow the Office of Advocacy to expand their role in international matters.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6330) to amend the Small Business Act to modify the method for prescribing size standards for business concerns.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Knight and Ms. Clarke for this leading bipartisan legislation, which takes a critical step toward addressing the challenge that small contractors face when entering the middle market.

The primary objective of the SBA's small business programs is to encourage the growth and vibrancy of the Federal supplier base, boost competition, protect against supplier consolidation, and spur innovation. These noble goals are thwarted when small businesses find themselves competing in the open market prematurely before they have the tools they need to succeed.

Given the increasing size of Federal contract awards made today, one or two big awards won by a small contractor could easily force them out of the category of small business. Since many do not have the infrastructure or competitiveness to go head to head against firms many times their size, they often fail or become consumed into a larger competitor's supply chain. These results contravene the mission and purpose of the small business programs, further widening the divide between large and small contractors.

Competitiveness takes time, hard work, and significant resources to build. However, difficult as it is to build competitiveness, it is just as easily lost. H.R. 6330 provides a solution to this problem, allowing small businesses extra time to potentially retain their ``small'' size status while they continue to develop their competitive edge.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6330, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight) and thank him for his leadership in this important measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation gives small businesses more time to adjust to not being a small business anymore. We want our small businesses to thrive and grow and break through to the mid-tier and big business strata. Oftentimes, that is difficult.

H.R. 6330 gives these firms just a little more time to adapt to their new business environment, so they can compete more efficiently and continue to grow and create more jobs for more Americans.

I again thank Mr. Knight for his leadership on this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6367) to amend the Small Business Act to specify what credit is given for certain subcontractors and to provide a dispute process for non-payment to subcontractors, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, before we begin discussion of this legislation, I would like to thank Mr. Lawson from Florida and Mr. Kelly from Mississippi for their leadership in addressing an issue that is a cause of great concern for small subcontractors; namely, prime contractor compliance with their subcontracting plans.

Large prime contractors have a statutory obligation to develop and submit a subcontracting plan as part of their bid and proposal package. In this plan, prime contractors are required to outline their intention to award a certain percentage of subcontracting dollars to small businesses.

Unfortunately, it has been a challenge to ensure that prime contractors are held accountable to these plans. Recently, the Department of Defense Inspector General's Office issued a report that found post-award compliance activities, specifically the oversight of subcontracting plans, is not a high priority for contracting officers. This finding is not limited to the military and can be generalized to apply across the Federal Government.

As the number of prime contracts suitable for small business continues to decline, subcontracting becomes increasingly important for small contractors trying to gain a foothold in the Federal market.

H.R. 6367, as amended, proposes to strengthen subcontracting measures by requiring large primes to maintain records proving they are subcontracting to small businesses, as required by their subcontracting plans.

Furthermore, this bill establishes an alternative avenue of redress for small subcontractors, allowing them to engage the appropriate Federal agency's small business advocate office if they believe payment is being withheld unfairly by a large prime contractor.

Because of these important measures undertaken to protect small contractors, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6367, as amended. I also, again, thank my colleagues for their leadership in this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on this particular legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, as we have discussed, there are less prime contracting opportunities that are available for small businesses nowadays. It is in the subcontracting arena that is often the best and only way for a small contractor to engage with the Federal Government, but the lack of accountability and Federal oversight harms small subcontractors that rely on these opportunities to survive.

This is a lose-lose situation for both America's small businesses seeking to do work for the Federal Government and for the government itself. We want our citizens to get the best bang for their buck, and the more competition there is, the better it is for all of us. The greater oversight reforms in this legislation take a big step in ensuring small firms are protected.

I once again thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lawson) for his leadership on this measure, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan, commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6368) to encourage R&D small business set-asides, to encourage SBIR and STTR participants to serve as mentors under the Small Business Administration's mentor-protege program, to promote the use of interagency contracts, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan legislation was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat) and cosponsored by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman), so it is bipartisan. I thank the gentlemen, both of them, for their leadership on this important issue.

This legislation would make small but important changes to the Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, and the Small Business Technology Transfer, or STTR, programs.

A healthy and vibrant Federal marketplace is important to our Nation. Competition breeds innovation, which is critical in our national defense to save lives on the battlefield or healthcare advancements to improve and prolong lives.

The SBIR and STTR programs are often one of the first places small innovators and manufacturers venture into the Federal contracting arena. The process can be daunting for small firms completely new to contracting with the Federal Government.

H.R. 6368 provides an avenue for more experienced SBIR and STTR companies to mentor newer companies to help them adjust to how the Federal Government does business. By doing so, it aims to strengthen the industrial base by bringing new firms into the contracting process.

The bill also rewards mentors with a past-performance rating boost so they can be more advantaged when applying for a full research and development set-aside or sole-source contracts going forward outside of the program.

Additionally, this legislation provides clarity in the use of government-side interagency acquisitions permitted through the fiscal year 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, by updating and harmonizing the terminology used in acquisitions.

Finally, the bill expressly allows the GSA, General Services Administration, to assist agencies with contract awards and vehicle creation for small businesses receiving sole-source or set-aside contracts in the SBIR and STTR programs.

Historically, there have been lengthy delays in the programs at various stages, including award notification, payment, and advancement. The bill aims to reduce these delays by allowing the GSA to assist participating agencies in the SBIR and STTR contract creation and management.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and

Government Reform,

Washington, DC, September 18, 2018.

Hon. Steve Chabot,

Chairman, Committee on Small Business,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 6368, the

Encouraging Small Business Innovators Act of 2018. This bill

contains provisions within the jurisdiction of the Committee

on Oversight and Government Reform. As a result of your

having consulted with me concerning the provisions of the

bill that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction, I agree to

forgo consideration of the bill, so the bill may proceed

expeditiously to the House floor.

The Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 6368,

we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter

contained in this or similar legislation, and we will be

appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar

legislation moves forward so we may address any remaining

issues within our Rule X jurisdiction. Further, I request

your support for the appointment of conferees from the

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform during any

House-Senate conference on this or related legislation.

Finally, I would appreciate a response confirming this

understanding and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters

on this matter be included in the bill report filed by the

Committee on Small Business, as well as in the Congressional

Record during floor consideration thereof.

Sincerely,

Trey Gowdy.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, I, first of all, thank the gentlewoman, the ranking member, for her leadership on this, and Mr. Espaillat, as well, and Mr. Norman for working together in a bipartisan manner.

Mr. Speaker, the SBIR and STTR play pivotal roles in the development of new technologies while giving Federal agencies innovative and cost- effective ways to solve operational problems. They are highly popular and have helped thousands of small businesses create new technologies, commercialize their ideas, and generate new jobs.

The reforms contained in H.R. 6368 will bring more firms into the programs and make it easier for them to win contracts. This is a win- win for small businesses and the Federal Government as competition breeds innovation, and innovation leads to saving taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan and commonsense reforms of H.R. 6368, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6369) to amend the Small Business Act to eliminate the inclusion of option years in the award price for sole source contracts, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Dr. Marshall and Mr. Schneider for their leadership on this bill.

The Small Business Act currently allows Federal agencies to award sole-source contracts to women-owned; service-disabled veteran-owned; HUBZone; and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. However, these awards can only be made in the narrowest of circumstances, rightly protecting the ability of small businesses to compete against each other.

Even though Federal contracting officers have this procurement tool in their toolbox, the reality is that small business sole-source contracting is rare and may be underutilized. This can, in part, be attributed to the fact that the maximum dollar threshold for Federal sole-source contracts designated in statute has fallen far behind the typical size of contract awards made today.

As contracts increase in size and scope, the usefulness of small business sole-source contracts diminishes, to the detriment of small contractors eligible to receive such awards.

H.R. 6369, as amended, adjusts the dollar threshold to actually reflect the size of contracts that are commonly used across the government today. This modest change will provide agencies with an accessible pathway to achieving their small business goals in categories they have historically been unable to meet.

Additionally, and importantly, this bill institutes a new oversight process which will help reduce the chances of sole-source awards being made to ineligible firms by requiring positive confirmation by the Small Business Administration that this small business is, in fact, eligible to receive the award before it is issued by the Federal agency.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6369, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall), the leader on this particular legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, this bill provides greater opportunities for women- owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone, and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses.

Additionally, it will help Federal agencies achieve and exceed their small business goals. It reinforces oversight, and gives Federal agencies a greater motivation to work with small firms.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan and commonsense reforms in H.R. 6369, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6382) to amend the Small Business Act to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to report certain information to the Congress and to the President, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to thank Ms. Adams for leading this important piece of legislation.

Category management is a procurement initiative that is currently being rolled out across the Federal Government. It can be a positive tool, allowing the Federal Government to better understand its purchasing habits and identify cost savings where appropriate. However, setting mandatory targets to manage agency spending may result in unintended consequences.

Specifically, there is concern that this initiative may have the effect of reducing competition to only a few select vendors. As we continue to see increased use of these best-in-class vehicles by Federal agencies, it is important to remember that it is not the job of the government to pick winners and losers. We must be vigilant and ensure that maximum opportunities are given to small businesses, even as we continue to pursue cost savings across the Federal Government.

H.R. 6382, as amended, takes that critical first step by tracking the potential impacts of category management on small businesses. The bill requires the SBA to report exactly how much of these dollars spent through best-in-class vehicles are awarded to small businesses. Obtaining this data and identifying trends or patterns affecting small businesses will become increasingly important as category management continues to be used in years to come.

This is a commonsense piece of oversight legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the measure.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ms. Adams for her leadership on this measure and congratulate her for its passage here shortly.

This legislation raises the profile of this important issue and requires that the SBA keep track of how much Federal spending is made through best-in-class vehicles. I applaud the administration for looking for ways to ensure taxpayer dollars are utilized in the most efficient ways possible.

At the same time, we must be watchful to safeguard small businesses' proper importance and place in the Federal marketplace. Enacting this legislation will help ensure that the correct data is collected and reported to help maintain that balance.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 791) to amend the Small Business Act to expand intellectual property education and training for small businesses, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 791, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017.

As small-business entrepreneurs continue to expand both here and abroad, they must have the tools they need to protect their intellectual property. However, the process for obtaining intellectual property protections both in the U.S. and abroad can be daunting, even for the most experienced small-business owner.

We must ensure that small-business owners have the tools they need to protect their innovative ideas and products, as intellectual property protections are essential to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

Small-business owners often do not have the resources to protect their ideas and products, especially when they are competing in the international marketplace. Most simply cannot afford to retain attorneys to guide them through the difficult process of obtaining intellectual property protections, which leaves them vulnerable to their innovative ideas and products being stolen both here in the United States and internationally.

This legislation addresses this issue by developing a partnership between the Small Business Administration, the SBA, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, giving entrepreneurs the full breadth of knowledge of a Small Business Development Center system and the USPTO.

The bill utilizes existing resources at both agencies to better assist small-business owners and expand their outreach efforts to provide small businesses with the resources they need to address intellectual property issues.

Considering the important role that small-business entrepreneurs play in our global marketplace, it is our responsibility to ensure that they have the resources they need to better protect their intellectual property.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, September 20, 2018.

Hon. Steve Chabot,

Chairman, Committee on Small Business,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Chabot, I write with respect to S. 791, the

``Small Business Innovation Protection Act.'' As a result of

your having consulted with us on provisions within S. 791

that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on

the Judiciary, I forego any further consideration of this

bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor

for consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of S. 791 at

this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our

committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as

this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our

committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation and asks

that you support any such request.

I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to S. 791 and would ask that

a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included

in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of S.

791.

Sincerely,

Bob Goodlatte,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 791 is the Senate counterpart to legislation spearheaded on the House side by Mr. Evans and Mr. Fitzpatrick, both of Pennsylvania. Once again, it is bipartisan legislation coming out of the Small Business Committee.

That bill, H.R. 2655, was also reported unanimously out of our committee this spring. I commend them on their work on this important issue.

This legislation helps small businesses receive better access to education and training opportunities both domestically and abroad.

A partnership between the Small Business Administration and the USPTO would help more small-business owners learn how they can use intellectual property to protect their ideas and products. This important partnership between the two agencies will help to reach more small-business owners and better prepare them for doing business both here and abroad.

It is vital that small-business owners have as many tools and resources as possible to help protect their innovative ideas from intellectual property theft.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just advise the gentlewoman not to get ahead of herself there. It ain't happened yet, and I don't think it is going to happen. But nonetheless, we have had a wonderful working relationship over the years. I have been the chair; I have been the ranking member. The gentlewoman from New York has been the chair and the ranking member. We would like to keep it just the way it is now, but we will see in about 6 weeks.

Mr. Speaker, I have already given the closing statement, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6758) to direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, to study and provide recommendations to promote the participation of women and minorities in entrepreneurship activities and the patent system, to extend by 8 years the Patent and Trademark Office's authority to set the amounts for the fees it charges, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 6758, currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6758, the SUCCESS Act.

Back in 2011, I was one of five Members of Congress who cosponsored the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act that the President eventually signed into law. In it, a provision was included to provide the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office with the authority to set fees to cover the cost of examining patent applications and registering trademarks.

Today, as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I recognize the need to extend that authority another 8 years.

The PTO plays a critical role in the development of new technologies. The agency operates on fees it collects from patent and trademark applicants. To ensure that the PTO has the resources it needs to properly examine patent applications and register trademarks to study the issue of patenting by women, minority, and veteran entrepreneurs, and to perform the countless other activities it undertakes that are essential to maintaining America's competitiveness, Congress needs to reauthorize the PTO's authority to adjust its fees.

Additionally, we need to ensure that every American with a great new idea has access to the tools necessary for success in order for our Nation to realize its full potential and to secure an even brighter economic future for ourselves and our children.

The SUCCESS Act helps us achieve that goal by requiring that the PTO provide recommendations to Congress on how to increase the participation of women, minorities, and veterans in entrepreneurship activities in the patent system.

While American ingenuity is unparalleled, recent reports indicate that we have not tapped into all that the American people have to offer. Those reports indicate that while U.S. women earn almost half of all undergraduate degrees in science and engineering, and an estimated 39 percent of all new Ph.D.s in those fields, it appears that only between 10 percent and 20 percent of innovators listed on patents are women. A 2017 study showed that racial minorities fair even worse.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank Representatives Comstock and Adams for introducing language that served as the inspiration for the study included in H.R. 6758. I want to also thank my fellow members on the Judiciary and Small Business Committees for being original cosponsors of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close, and I will be very brief.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to thank the gentleman from Georgia for his hard work on this legislation. We worked together on a number of bills in the past, and I really do appreciate the bipartisan effort in this area.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5075) to encourage, enhance, and integrate Ashanti Alert plans throughout the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5075, currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we will vote today on H.R. 5075, the Ashanti Alert Act of 2018. This bill establishes a national alert network for missing adults at the Department of Justice. It will allow law enforcement to coordinate the use of communication systems to alert the public that an adult is missing.

In order to issue an alert, the missing adult must either suffer from a proven mental or physical disability, or law enforcement must certify the person's physical safety may be in danger, or their disappearance was not voluntary.

This Ashanti national alert network will be integrated into the existing Blue Alert system. The Blue Alert system issues alerts to notify the public of nearby suspects or threats to their community's law enforcement officials.

This legislation will also allow the Attorney General to designate a national coordinator to work with States to establish alert systems for missing adults and to develop voluntary guidelines States may use in creating their networks.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Scott Taylor for introducing this legislation. We appreciate Mr. Taylor being here today and appreciate his leadership in this effort.

I ask my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Taylor).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. It was my understanding that the gentlewoman would like to participate in a colloquy.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

The gentlewoman is correct. This outreach to tribes shall be conducted in the same manner as the Blue Alert program, yes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, on behalf of all Members of the House, I would like to offer my condolences to the family of Ashanti.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Taylor for his leadership in proposing this very important legislation. Hopefully, other people will benefit from its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

As the dean of the Ohio Republican delegation, I rise to welcome the newest Buckeye to our delegation, Troy Balderson.

Troy was born and raised in southeast Ohio. He grew up and worked on his family farm. He graduated from Zanesville High School. And, Mr. Speaker, that is Zanesville, not Janesville. He also attended both Muskingum College as well as The Ohio State University.

Prior to joining our delegation, Troy served our great State as both a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and a member of the Ohio Senate. He is no stranger to building relationships, learning the issues, and solving problems. So he will do well here.

As a businessman, as my colleague mentioned, an elder at the Christian Church in Zanesville, and as an athlete, Troy has proven time and again that hard work and a little grit make a very strong leader. I have no doubt that our delegation and the residents of the 12th Congressional District will truly benefit from his experience. I believe that we all will.

Congratulations to you and your family, Troy. On behalf of the Ohio Republican delegation and I think all Members, welcome to the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5754, the Cambodia Democracy Act of 2018. As the Republican Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Cambodia and an original cosponsor of this legislation and I believe it is critical that Congress support the people of Cambodia in their march toward democracy. I want to thank Congressman Lowenthal, the Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Cambodia, Chairman Royce, and Chairman Yoho for their work on this important legislation.

Throughout his 30-year rule, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has routinely stifled Cambodia's progress toward democracy. Last year, he began his latest crackdown because he knew that given the chance, the Cambodian people would elect someone else. He began by uprooting civil society organizations. This included cracking down on newspapers such as the Cambodia Daily and outlets like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America as well as forcing the National Democratic Institute to leave the country. Then he started peddling the ridiculous story that the United States was trying to orchestrate a coup. Then he threw Kem Sokah--leader of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) and his principal opponent--in prison. Hun Sen proceeded to disband the CNRP, bar its MPs from serving in public office, and cause many of them to flee into exile. Due to these crimes, there can be no doubt Cambodia's so-called elections this Sunday will not be free or fair. At present Cambodia can no longer be called a democracy, whatever its dictator wants to claim.

H.R. 5754 is simple. It would sanction those individuals who are responsible for crushing democracy in Cambodia to encourage them to reverse their actions, to show our support for the Cambodian people, and to demonstrate that we will not stand idly by when democracy is squashed around the world. I would urge my colleges to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1220, which would establish the Adams Memorial Commission. As a former teacher and a history major from the College of William and Mary, our nation's second oldest college, I think we should do more to remember President John Adams. He was instrumental in our nation's founding and he is a central, if often overlooked, figure in American history.

John Adams--who served as our first Vice President and second President--was a statesman, lawyer, diplomat, political theorist, and leader in the campaign for American Independence. As a Member of both the First and Second Continental Congress, he became a leader in the movement for independence. During the Second Continental Congress, he nominated George Washington to lead the Continental Army, and is one of the most prominent signers of the Declaration of Independence, serving on the committee that helped Thomas Jefferson craft this monumental document. During and after the war, he served in numerous diplomatic posts in Europe. Along with Benjamin Franklin, he negotiated the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War and solidified America's new independence. He also served in Holland during the war, and as our Ambassador to Britain following the war. Throughout his time serving the United States, President Adams remained true to his principles, and consistently fought for his beliefs.

Due to these immeasurable contributions, President Adams deserves to be more visibly honored among our nation's founders. H.R. 1220 recognizes his service by establishing a Commission to advance current efforts to build a memorial in his honor. I would urge my colleagues to support this legislation.