,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dehh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #af1 #bjbj,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,ms4 ,ernst1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,risch1 and ,mr4 ,markey7 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 #bjbj4 #b4 ,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 #di 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fca note7 as section #ej2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #dh 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fegu7 the following3 #di4 ,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 7#b7 the term broadband means-- 7,a7 high-speed wired broadband internet2 and 7,b7 high-speed wireless internet2 7#c7 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#a72 and 7#d7 the term emerging information technology includes-- 7,a7 data science technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning2 7,b7 ,internet of ,things2 7,c7 distributed ledger technologies such as blockchain2 7,d7 cloud computing and software as a system technologies2 7,e7 computer numerical control technologies such as #c;,d printing2 and 7,f7 robotics and automation4 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 the ,department of the ,treasury1 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 information 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 information 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 availability1 speed1 and price and emerging information technology deployment on small businesses 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to appropriations1 the ,chief ,counsel for ,advocacy shall conduct a study evaluating the impact of-- 7i7 broadband availability1 speed1 and price on small business concerns2 and 7ii7 emerging information technology deployment 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 #bjbj1 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 7iv7 a survey of the types of emerging information technologies used by small business concerns2 and 7v7 any policy recommendations that may improve the access of small business concerns to comparable broadband services or emerging information technologies at comparable rates in all regions of the ,united ,states4 4 #c4 ,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