,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bhic  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bb1      
#bjah,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself and ,mr4 
,enzi7 introduced the following bill2   
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,armed ,services  ,a     
,,bill  ,to provide for prompt payments 
to small business contractors1 and for  
other purposes4  #a4 ,prompt payments of
 small business contractors ,section    
#bcjg7;a7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states 
,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by             
redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7  
as subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71         
respectively2  7#b7 by striking ,the    
head of any agency may-- and inserting  
7#a7 ,the head of any agency may2 and   
7#c7 by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph3  7#b7 7,a7 ,for a prime  
contractor 7as defined in section #hgja 
of title #da7 that is a small business  
concern 7as defined in section #c of the
 ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4   
#fcb771 the head of an agency shall1 to 

the fullest extent permitted by law1    
establish an accelerated payment date   
with a goal of #ae days after receipt of
 a proper invoice for the amount due if 
a specific payment date is not          
established by contract4  7,b7 ,for a   
prime contractor that subcontracts with 
a small business concern1 the head of an
 agency shall1 to the fullest extent    
permitted by law1 establish an          
accelerated payment date with a goal of 
#ae days after receipt of a proper      
invoice for the amount due if--  7i7 a  
specific payment date is not established
 by contract2 and  7ii7 the prime       
contractor agrees to make payments to   
the subcontractor in accordance with the
 accelerated payment date1 to the       
maximum extent practicable1 without any 
further consideration from or fees      
charged to the subcontractor4  4