,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dica  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,october #cj1        
#bjai,mr4 ,ryan introduced the following
 bill2 which was referred to the        
,committee on ,transportation and       
,infrastructure1 and in addition to the 
,committee on ,financial ,services1 for 
a period to be subsequently determined  
by the ,speaker1 in each case for       
consideration of such provisions as fall
 within the jurisdiction of the         
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
establish a competitive grant program   
within the ,department of ,commerce to  
support nationwide growth and success of
 business incubators4  #a4 ,short title 
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,incubator ,act of #bjai4  #b4 ,business
 incubator grant program  7a7           
,establishment ,the ,department of      
,commerce1 acting through the ,assistant
 ,secretary of ,commerce for ,economic  
,development1 shall establish and carry 
out a competitive grant program to      

provide financial assistance to support 
the growth and success of business      
incubators4  7b7 ,application ,an       
eligible applicant desiring a grant     
under this section shall submit to the  
,assistant ,secretary for the program   
established under subsection 7a7 an     
application at such time1 in such       
manner1 and containing such information 
as the ,assistant ,secretary may        
require4  7c7 ,awarding of grants ,in   
awarding grants under this section1 the 
,assistant ,secretary shall-- 7#a7      
consider factors such as population1    
unemployment level1 and business        
creation metrics to ensure that the     
program addresses demonstrated needs and
 achieves high impact2 and  7#b7 ensure 
grants are made broadly available to    
eligible applicants from all ,states to 
promote business incubator development  
nationwide4  7d7 ,maximum allowable     
amount for each ,state ,the maximum     
amount awarded to eligible applicants in
 a single ,state in a fiscal year under 

this section may not exceed #e1jjj1jjj4 
7e7 ,use of funds ,an entity receiving a
 grant under this section may use grant 
amounts for operating expenses and may  
not use such amounts for capital        
expenditures4  7f7 ,priority of awardees
 ,in providing funds awarded under this 
section1 the ,assistant ,secretary shall
 prioritize applications from eligible  
applicants that are located in an       
opportunity zone4  7g7 ,terms  7#a7     
,amount ,a grant awarded under this     
section shall not be more than #ejj1jjj 
for each fiscal year4  7#b7 ,duration ,a
 grant shall be awarded for a period not
 to exceed #d years4  7#c7 ,subsequent  
award ,upon the expiration of a grant   
awarded under this section1 the grant   
recipient is eligible to apply for an   
additional grant4  7#d7 ,supplement not 
supplant ,none of the funds made        
available to an entity under this       
section shall supplant any funds        
provided by a ,state for the operating  
expenses of an incubator4  7h7 ,program 

impacts and reporting  7#a7 ,methods and
 metrics ,the ,assistant ,secretary     
shall develop methods and metrics to--  
7,a7 assess the impacts of the program2 
and  7,b7 evaluate the ongoing success  
of business incubators funded under this
 section4  7#b7 ,report ,not later than 
the last day of each fiscal year1 the   
,assistant ,secretary shall submit to   
,congress1 and make available to the    
public on an internet website1 a        
comprehensive annual report on the      
awards1 status1 and impacts of the      
program1 including key program          
highlights and success stories for the  
most recent fiscal year4  7i7           
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7        
,assistant ,secretary ,the term         
,assistant ,secretary means the         
,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for  
,economic ,development of the           
,department of ,commerce4  7#b7         
,business incubator ,the term business  
incubator means an organization that--  
7,a7 provides physical workspace and    

facilities resources to startups and    
established businesses2 and  7,b7 is    
designed to accelerate the growth and   
success of businesses through a variety 
of business support resources and       
services1 including--  7i7 access to    
capital1 business education1 and        
counseling2  7ii7 networking            
opportunities2  7iii7 mentorship        
opportunities2 and  7iv7 other services 
intended to aid in developing a         
business4  7#c7 ,opportunity zone ,the  
term opportunity zone has the meaning   
given the term qualified opportunity    
zone in section #adjj,z-#a of the       
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf4  7#d7
 ,eligible applicant ,the term eligible 
applicant means a person that-- 7,a7    
owns or manages an existing business    
incubator that is a nonprofit           
organization2  7,b7 is able to provide  
the physical workspace1 equipment1 and  
connectivity necessary for businesses   
and entrepreneurs to collaborate and    
conduct business on a local1 regional1  

national1 and international level2 and  
7,c7 has been operational for not less  
than #a year before receiving a grant   
under this section4  7#e7 ,state ,the   
term ,state means each ,state of the    
,united ,states1 the ,district of       
,columbia1 each commonwealth1 territory 
or possession of the ,united ,states1   
and each federally recognized ,indian   
,tribe4  7#f7 ,nonprofit organization   
,the term nonprofit organization means  
an organization that is described under 
section #eja7;c7 of the ,internal       
,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from 
tax under section #eja7;a7 of such      
,code4  7j7 ,authorization of           
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this ,act1 
#ej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years    
#bjbj through #bjbe4