,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fcdi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #bc1 #bjbj,mr4 ,golden introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business ,a ,,bill ,to establish grant programs for small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives in response to ,,covid-#ai1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,continuity of ,business ,operations ,support ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,small business development center grants 7a7 ,small business development center grants ,the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration shall provide grants to small business development centers for the purposes described in subsection 7b74 7b7 ,use of funds ,grant funds under this section shall be used to educate1 train1 and advise owners and employees of small business concerns on the following matters3 7#a7 ,the hazards of and prevention of the transmission and communication of ,,covid-#ai and similar communicable diseases4 7#b7 ,the potential effects to the supply chains1 distribution1 and sale of products of the concern1 and the mitigation of such effects1 during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7#c7 ,the management and practice of telework or remote customer service by electronic or other means to reduce possible transmission of ,,covid-#ai and other communicable diseases4 7#d7 ,the risks and mitigation of cyber threats in remote customer service or telework practices4 7#e7 ,the mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or outside activities during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7#f7 ,business continuity plans during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7#g7 ,any other relevant business practices necessary to mitigate any economic effects experienced during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7c7 ,formula ,the ,administrator and the association authorized under section #ba7;a77#c77;,a7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fdh7;a77#c77;,a77 shall jointly establish a formula under which grants under this section shall be awarded4 7d7 ,metrics and ,goals 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator and the association described in subsection 7c7 shall jointly establish goals and metrics for the use of funds made available under this section4 ,such goals and metrics shall-- 7,a7 consider the extent of the circumstances relating to the spread of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease that affect small business concerns served by each grant recipient1 particularly rural areas or economically distressed areas2 7,b7 ensure grant recipients comply with the requirements of subsection 7b7 while also ensuring that grant recipients may have flexibility in responding to unique situations2 and 7,c7 encourage grant recipients to develop and provide services to small business concerns that are located in areas substantially affected by ,,covid-#ai4 7#b7 ,public availability ,the ,administrator shall make publicly available the methodology by which the ,administrator and the association jointly developed the metrics and goals described in paragraph 7#a74 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated #ge1jjj1jjj1 to remain available until expended1 to the ,administrator to carry out this section4 #c4 ,establishment of women's business center and ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives grants 7a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration shall provide grants to women's business centers and to chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives for the purposes described in subsection 7b74 7b7 ,use of funds ,grant funds under this section shall be used to educate1 train1 and advise owners and employees of small business concerns on the following matters3 7#a7 ,the hazards of and prevention of the transmission and communication of ,,covid-#ai and similar communicable diseases4 7#b7 ,the potential effects to the supply chains1 distribution1 and sale of products of the concern1 and the mitigation of such effects1 during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7#c7 ,the management and practice of telework or remote customer service by electronic or other means to reduce possible transmission of ,,covid-#ai and other communicable diseases4 7#d7 ,the risks and mitigation of cyber threats in remote customer service or telework practices4 7#e7 ,the mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or outside activities during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7#f7 ,business continuity plans during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7#g7 ,any other relevant business practices necessary to mitigate any economic effects experienced during a period of a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai or a similar communicable disease4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated #be1jjj1jjj1 to remain available until expended1 to the ,administrator to carry out this section4 #d4 ,report ,not later than #f months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter until the amounts authorized in section #b7;c7 and section #a7;e7 have been expended1 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 that-- 7#a7 describes1 with respect to the initial year covered by the report1 the programs and services developed and provided by the ,administrator1 small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives in response to a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai2 and 7#b7 describes1 with respect to the subsequent years covered by the report-- 7,a7 the efforts of the ,administrator1 small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives to develop services to assist small business concerns affected by ,,covid-#ai2 7,b7 the challenges faced by owners of small business concerns in accessing services provided by the ,administrator1 small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives in response to a public health emergency declared because of ,,covid-#ai2 7,c7 the number of unique small business concerns that were served by the ,administrator1 small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives under the programs established by this ,act2 and 7,d7 other relevant performance data with respect to small business concerns affected by ,,covid-#ai1 including the number of employees affected1 the effect on sales of the concern1 any disruptions of supply chains1 and the efforts made by the ,administrator1 small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives 7as applicable7 to mitigate these effects4 #e4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration4 7#b7 ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives ,the term ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives means the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives established under section #h7;b77#a77;,b7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcg7;b77#a77;,b774 7#c7 ,small business concern ,the term small business concern has the meaning given under section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb74 7#d7 ,small business development center ,the term small business development center has the meaning given in section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb74 7#e7 ,women's business center ,the term women's business center means a women's business center as described under section #bi of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fef74