,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hfbh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #bj1 #bjbj,mr4 ,castro of ,texas 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,larsen of ,washington1 and ,mrs4 ,wagner7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to support the establishment of small business development centers internationally and promote international commerce1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,global ,small ,business ,network ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,small businesses empower citizens of a country1 strengthen communities1 provide employment to millions1 and form the backbone of the ,united ,states economy4 7#b7 ,small business concerns across the ,united ,states have benefitted from access to technical assistance1 regulatory guidance1 and educational programs through small business development centers 7referred to in this ,act as ,,sbdc7 in the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,the ,,sbdc model has successfully been adopted in ,central ,america1 ,south ,america1 and the ,caribbean1 through assistance from the ,small ,business ,network of the ,americas' initiative funded through the ,department of ,state4 7#d7 ,the ,small ,business ,network of the ,americas' initiative is a highly effective program that works with host governments in the ,americas to establish small business development centers1 primarily funded by the host governments4 7#e7 ,,sbdc networks outside the ,united ,states serve as important conduits of commerce with the ,united ,states1 providing important information1 tools1 and regulatory guidance to small businesses interested in trading with the ,united ,states4 7#f7 ,the establishment of ,s,b,d,cs in other parts of the world promotes opportunities for small businesses to thrive and engage with the ,united ,states economy4 #c4 ,global and regional networks 7a7 ,global ,small ,business ,network 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development and the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration1 is authorized to establish and administer a ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7#b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the ,global ,small ,business ,network program is to-- 7,a7 enhance the ability of small business concerns in the ,united ,states that are affiliated with a small business development center to export to foreign markets and take part in international commerce2 and 7,b7 facilitate partners for small business concerns in the ,united ,states and resilient business environments in foreign countries through the development of small business development centers in foreign countries4 7#c7 ,affiliation ,the ,secretary of ,state shall determine if a small business development center in a foreign country may affiliate with and participate in the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7#d7 ,coordination ,the ,secretary of ,state may coordinate with a national or local government of a foreign country that agrees to assist with developing small business development centers in such country pursuant to a grant awarded under subsection 7c74 7#e7 ,duplication of efforts ,the ,secretary of ,state shall leverage existing programs administered by the ,department of ,state1 the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 and other ,united ,states ,government agencies for the purposes of the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7b7 ,regional networks 7#a7 ,small ,business ,network of the ,americas ,the ,secretary of ,state may establish a ,small ,business ,network of the ,americas for purposes of allowing national and local governments of a foreign country located in ,western ,hemisphere to participate in the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7#b7 ,,asean ,small ,business ,network ,the ,secretary of ,state may establish an ,,asean ,small ,business ,network for purposes of allowing national and local governments of a foreign country that is a member state of the ,association of ,southeast ,asian ,nations to participate in the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7c7 ,grants 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,state may make grants to any qualified entity that submits an application in such form1 and satisfying such requirements1 as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,types of grants ,a qualified entity may receive a grant for one or both of the following purposes3 7,a7 ,to assist national and local governments of a foreign country to develop a small business development center1 or multiple centers1 in such country1 regardless of whether such country participates in a regional network described in subsection 7b74 7,b7 ,to promote economic connectivity between small business concerns in the ,united ,states and economies covered by the ,global ,small ,business ,network1 including through an internet platform to-- 7i7 enhance the ability of small business concerns in the ,united ,states to take part in international commerce2 and 7ii7 facilitate the growth of small businesses in foreign countries through the development of small business development centers in foreign countries4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,state #b1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbf1 in addition to amounts otherwise available for economic activities and foreign assistance1 to carry out this section4 ,with respect to each such fiscal year1 the ,secretary is authorized to use-- 7#a7 up to #a1jjj1jjj of such amount to establish and operate the ,small ,business ,network of the ,americas2 and 7#b7 up to #a1jjj1jjj of such amount to establish and operate the ,,asean ,small ,business ,network4 7e7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than one year after the date of enactment of this ,act and every two years thereafter for a period of four years1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development and the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration1 shall submit to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate1 the ,committee on ,small ,business of the ,house of ,representatives1 and the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship of the ,senate a report on the status of the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7#b7 ,elements ,each report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7 ,an assessment of support provided to small business concerns in the ,united ,states that have utilized programs through the ,global ,small ,business ,network1 including information on the number of businesses supported1 the geographic location of such businesses1 the number of jobs supported1 and the amount of economic activity generated4 7,b7 ,a description of methods and strategies to develop small business development centers in foreign countries for the two years after the date of such report4 7,c7 ,a list1 and the current status1 of all operating small business development centers in foreign countries that are affiliated with the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7,d7 ,a list1 and the current status1 of all new small business development centers in foreign countries set up through the ,global ,small ,business ,network program in the two years before the date of the report1 even if no longer affiliated with the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7,e7 ,a description of the estimated timelines for national and local governments of a foreign country participating in the ,small ,business ,network of the ,americas and the ,,asean ,small ,business ,network to-- 7i7 complete the creation of a small business development center in such country2 and 7ii7 establish connections between such a small business development center with small business development centers in the ,united ,states4 7,f7 ,a description of international commercial activity resulting from participation in the ,global ,small ,business ,network program4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,qualified entity ,the term qualified entity means an entity that is-- 7,a7 an institution of higher education 7as such term is defined in section #ajb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb771 except that such term does not include institutions described in section #ajb7;a77#a77;c7 of such ,act2 7,b7 a consortium of two or more institutions of higher education described in subparagraph 7,a72 or 7,c7 a nonprofit entity with experience in operating or working with small business development centers in the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,small business concern ,the term small business concern has the meaning given the term under section #c7;a7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb7;a774 7#c7 ,small business development center ,the term small business development center-- 7,a7 with respect to a center located in the ,united ,states-- 7i7 has the meaning given such term in section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb72 and 7ii7 includes a women's business center1 as such term is used under section #bi of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fef72 and 7,b7 with respect to a center located in a foreign country1 means an entity that-- 7i7 provides small business-oriented employment or natural resources development programs2 7ii7 promotes studies1 research1 and counseling concerning the managing1 financing1 and operation of small businesses2 7iii7 provides management and technical assistance regarding small business participation in international markets and international commerce1 including with the ,united ,states2 7iv7 provides delivery or distribution of services and information described in this subparagraph2 or 7v7 provides access to business analysts who can refer a small business to available experts4