,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #baaf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,october #a1 #bjae,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and ,mr4 ,vitter7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship ,a ,,bill ,to improve certain programs of the ,small ,business ,administration to better assist small business customers in accessing broadband technology1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,small ,business ,broadband and ,emerging ,information ,technology ,enhancement ,act of #bjae4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,according to a report by the ,federal ,communications ,commission entitled ,connecting ,america3 ,the ,national ,broadband ,plan1 dated ,march #bjaj1 the ,commission recommends that-- 7,a7 ,to fully implement next-generation technology within its operations1 the ,,sba should also appoint a broadband and emerging ,,it coordinator4 ,this individual would ensure that ,,sba programs maintain the requisite broadband expertise1 tools and training courses to serve small businesses42 7,b7 ,congress should consider ways to leverage existing assistance provided through entrepreneurial development programs1 to focus training on advanced ,,it and broadband applications2 7,c7 ,congress could also consider ways to support technology training among women entrepreneurs through women's business centers2 7,d7 ,the training programs should include an entry-level ,broadband #aja course to give small businesses an introduction to how to capitalize on broadband connectivity1 as well as more advanced applications for ,,it staff42 and 7,e7 small and medium enterprise ,,it training should include resources for non-,,it staff1 such as how to use e-commerce tools for sales1 streamline finance with online records or leverage knowledge management across an organization44 7#b7 ,according to a report by the ,broadband ,opportunity ,council1 dated ,august #bj1 #bjae1 the ,council recommends that the ,united ,states-- 7,a7 modernize ,federal programs to expand program support for broadband technology investments2 7,b7 empower communities with tools and resources to attract investment in and promote meaningful use of broadband technology2 7,c7 promote increased deployment of and competition relating to broadband technology through expanded access to ,federal assets2 and 7,d7 improve data collection1 analysis1 and research on broadband technology4 7#c7 ,according to a report entitled ,the ,state of the ,app ,economy1 dated ,october #bjad-- 7,a7 ,more than three-quarters of the highest grossing apps are produced by startups and small companies42 and 7,b7 ,seventy-eight percent of the leading app companies are located outside ,silicon ,valley44 7#d7 ,according to a report entitled1 ,developer ,economics ,q#a #bjae3 ,state of the ,developer ,nation1 dated ,february #bjae1 ,the emergence of the app industry over the past eight years has grown to a #abj billion economy44 #c4 ,broadband and emerging information technology coordinator ,the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fca et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section #dg as section #dh2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #df the following3 #dg4 ,broadband and emerging information technology 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section-- 7#a7 the term ,associate ,administrator means the ,associate ,administrator for the ,office of ,investment and ,innovation2 and 7#b7 the term broadband and emerging information technology coordinator means the employee designated to carry out the broadband and emerging information technology coordination responsibilities of the ,administration under subsection 7b77#a74 7b7 ,assignment of coordinator 7#a7 ,assignment of coordinator ,the ,associate ,administrator shall designate a senior employee of the ,office of ,investment and ,innovation to serve as the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator1 who-- 7,a7 shall report to the ,associate ,administrator2 7,b7 shall work in coordination with-- 7i7 the chief information officer1 the chief technology officer1 and the head of the ,office of ,technology of the ,administration2 and 7ii7 any other ,associate ,administrator of the ,administration determined appropriate by the ,associate ,administrator2 7,c7 has experience developing and implementing telecommunications policy in the private sector or government2 and 7,d7 has demonstrated significant experience in the area of broadband or emerging information technology4 7#b7 ,responsibilities of coordinator ,the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator shall-- 7,a7 coordinate programs of the ,administration that assist small business concerns in adopting1 making innovations in1 and using broadband and other emerging information technologies2 7,b7 serve as the primary liaison of the ,administration to other ,federal agencies involved in broadband and emerging information technology policy1 including the ,department of ,commerce1 the ,department of ,agriculture1 and the ,federal ,communications ,commission2 7,c7 identify best practices relating to broadband and emerging information technology that may benefit small business concerns2 and 7,d7 identify and catalog tools and training available through the resource partners of the ,administration that assist small business concerns in adopting1 making innovations in1 and using broadband and emerging technologies4 7#c7 ,travel ,not more than #bj percent of the hours of service by the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator during any fiscal year shall consist of travel outside the ,united ,states to perform official duties4 7c7 ,broadband and emerging technology training 7#a7 ,training ,the ,associate ,administrator shall provide to employees of the ,administration training that-- 7,a7 familiarizes employees of the ,administration with broadband and other emerging information technologies2 7,b7 includes-- 7i7 instruction on counseling small business concerns regarding adopting1 making innovations in1 and using broadband and other emerging information technologies2 and 7ii7 information on programs of the ,federal ,government that provide assistance to small business concerns relating to broadband and emerging information technologies2 and 7,c7 to maximum extent practicable1 uses the tools and training cataloged and identified under subsection 7b77#b77;,d74 7#b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection4 7d7 ,reports 7#a7 ,biennial report on activities ,not later than #b years after the date on which the ,associate ,administrator makes the first designation of an employee under subsection 7b71 and every #b years thereafter1 the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator 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 regarding the programs and activities of the ,administration relating to broadband and other emerging information technologies4 7#b7 ,impact of broadband speed and price on small businesses 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to appropriations1 the ,chief ,counsel for ,advocacy shall conduct a study evaluating the impact of broadband speed and price on small business concerns4 7,b7 ,report ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of the ,small ,business ,broadband and ,emerging ,information ,technology ,enhancement ,act of #bjae1 the ,chief ,counsel for ,advocacy shall submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation and the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce and the ,committee on ,small ,business of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the results of the study under subparagraph 7,a71 including-- 7i7 a survey of broadband speeds available to small business concerns2 7ii7 a survey of the cost of broadband speeds available to small business concerns2 7iii7 a survey of the type of broadband technology used by small business concerns2 and 7iv7 any policy recommendations that may improve the access of small business concerns to comparable broadband services at comparable rates in all regions of the ,united ,states4 4 #d4 ,entrepreneurial development ,section #ba7;c77#c77;,b7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fdh7;c77#c77;,b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by inserting accessing broadband and other emerging information technology1 after technology transfer12 7#b7 in clause 7ii71 by striking and at the end2 7#c7 in clause 7iii71 by adding and at the end2 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7iv7 increasing the competitiveness and productivity of small business concerns by assisting entrepreneurs in accessing broadband and other emerging information technology2 4