,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cibh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #bd1    
#bjbb,mr4 ,padilla 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,menendez7 introduced the following    
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,commerce1         
,science1 and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill
  ,to establish a program so that small 
business concerns owned and controlled  
by socially and economically            
disadvantaged individuals may achieve   
proficiency to compete1 on an equal     
basis1 for contracts and subcontracts in
 ,department of ,transportation         
projects1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,accelerating ,small ,business      
,growth ,act4  #b4 ,accelerating        
business growth program  7a7            
,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7     
,secretary ,the term ,secretary means   
the ,secretary of ,transportation4  7#b7
 ,small business concern ,the term small
 business concern has the meaning given 

the term in section #aaaja7;e77#b7 of   
the ,infrastructure ,investment and     
,jobs ,act 7#bc ,u4,s4,c4 #aja note2    
,public ,law #aag-eh74  7#c7 ,socially  
and economically disadvantaged          
individuals ,the term socially and      
economically disadvantaged individuals  
has the meaning given the term in       
section #aaaja7;e77#b7 of the           
,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs   
,act 7#bc ,u4,s4,c4 #aja note2 ,public  
,law #aag-eh74  7b7 ,establishment ,the 
,secretary shall establish a competitive
 grant program to provide financial     
assistance to eligible entities to      
establish and carry out innovative      
programs so that small business concerns
 owned and controlled by socially and   
economically disadvantaged individuals  
may achieve proficiency to compete1 on  
an equal basis1 for contracts and       
subcontracts in projects carried out    
with financial assistance from the      
,secretary4  7c7 ,eligible entities ,an 
entity eligible to receive financial    

assistance under this section is-- 7#a7 
a ,state or territory2  7#b7 a political
 subdivision of a ,state or local       
government2  7#c7 a ,tribal government2 
7#d7 a special purpose district or      
public authority with a transit         
function2  7#e7 a port authority2  7#f7 
a metropolitan planning organization2 or
  7#g7 a group of entities described in 
paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#f74  7d7      
,applications ,to be eligible to        
participate in the program under this   
section1 an eligible entity shall submit
 to the ,secretary an application at    
such time1 in such manner1 and          
containing such information as the      
,secretary may require4  7e7            
,partnerships ,in carrying out          
activities with a grant under this      
section1 an eligible entity may partner 
with-- 7#a7 #a or more nonprofit        
organizations2 and  7#b7 #a or more     
institutions of higher education4  7f7  
,required report  7#a7 ,in general ,not 
later than #b years after an eligible   

entity is awarded a grant under this    
section1 the eligible entity shall      
submit to the ,secretary a report that  
includes-- 7,a7 a description of the    
activities carried out with the grant2  
and  7,b7 an evaluation of the          
effectiveness of those activities in    
meeting the objectives described in     
subsection 7b74  7#b7 ,public           
availability ,each report submitted     
under paragraph 7#a7 shall be made      
available on a public internet website  
managed by the ,secretary4  7g7 ,report 
to ,congress ,not later than #c years   
after the date of enactment of this     
,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the
 ,committee on ,transportation and      
,infrastructure of the ,house of        
,representatives and the ,committee on  
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
 of the ,senate a report that evaluates 
the program under this section1         
including-- 7#a7 a description of the   
number of grants awarded2  7#b7 the     
amount of each grant2  7#c7 the         

activities carried out with grants under
 this section2 and  7#d7 the            
effectiveness of those activities in    
meeting the objectives described in     
subsection 7b74  7h7 ,authorization of  
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated to carry out this       
section #e1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal   
years #bjbc through #bjbf4