,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ch ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #bd 7legislative day1 ,january #c71 #bjbc,ms4 ,duckworth 7for herself and ,ms4 ,ernst7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,small ,business ,act to codify the ,boots to ,business ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veteran ,entrepreneurship ,training ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,boots to ,business ,program ,section #cb of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #feg;b7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7h7 ,boots to ,business ,program 7#a7 ,covered individual defined ,in this subsection1 the term covered individual means-- 7,a7 a member of the ,armed ,forces1 including the ,national ,guard or ,reserves2 7,b7 an individual who is participating in the ,transition ,assistance ,program established under section #aadd of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code2 7,c7 an individual who-- 7i7 served on active duty in any branch of the ,armed ,forces1 including the ,national ,guard or ,reserves2 and 7ii7 was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable2 and 7,d7 a spouse or dependent of an individual described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c74 7#b7 ,establishment ,during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this subsection and ending on ,september #cj1 #bjbh1 the ,administrator shall carry out a program to be known as the ,boots to ,business ,program to provide entrepreneurship training to covered individuals4 7#c7 ,goals ,the goals of the ,boots to ,business ,program are to-- 7,a7 provide assistance and in-depth training to covered individuals interested in business ownership2 and 7,b7 provide covered individuals with the tools1 skills1 and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity1 draft a business plan1 identify sources of capital1 connect with local resources for small business concerns1 and start up a small business concern4 7#d7 ,program components 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,boots to ,business ,program may include-- 7i7 a presentation providing exposure to the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern2 7ii7 an online1 self-study course focused on the basic skills of entrepreneurship1 the language of business1 and the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern2 7iii7 an in-person classroom instruction component providing an introduction to the foundations of self employment and ownership of a small business concern2 and 7iv7 in-depth training delivered through online instruction1 including an online course that leads to the creation of a business plan4 7,b7 ,collaboration ,the ,administrator may-- 7i7 collaborate with public and private entities to develop course curricula for the ,boots to ,business ,program2 and 7ii7 modify program components in coordination with entities participating in a ,warriors in ,transition program1 as defined in section #gch7;e7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjac 7#aj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajga note74 7,c7 ,use of resource partners and district offices 7i7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall-- 7,i7 ensure that ,veteran ,business ,outreach ,centers regularly participate1 on a nationwide basis1 in the ,boots to ,business ,program2 and 7,,ii7 to the maximum extent practicable1 use district offices of the ,administration and a variety of other resource partners and entities in administering the ,boots to ,business ,program4 7ii7 ,grant authority ,in carrying out clause 7i71 the ,administrator may make grants to ,veteran ,business ,outreach ,centers1 other resource partners1 or other entities to carry out components of the ,boots to ,business ,program4 7,d7 ,availability to ,department of ,defense and the ,department of ,labor ,the ,administrator shall make available to the ,secretary of ,defense and the ,secretary of ,labor information regarding the ,boots to ,business ,program1 including all course materials and outreach materials related to the ,boots to ,business ,program1 for inclusion on the websites of the ,department of ,defense and the ,department of ,labor relating to the ,transition ,assistance ,program1 in the ,transition ,assistance ,program manual1 and in other relevant materials available for distribution from the ,secretary of ,defense and the ,secretary of ,labor4 7,e7 ,availability to ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,in consultation with the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 the ,administrator shall make available for distribution and display on the website of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs and at local facilities of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs outreach materials regarding the ,boots to ,business ,program1 which shall1 at a minimum-- 7i7 describe the ,boots to ,business ,program and the services provided2 and 7ii7 include eligibility requirements for participating in the ,boots to ,business ,program4 7,f7 ,availability to other participating agencies ,the ,administrator shall ensure information regarding the ,boots to ,business program1 including all course materials and outreach materials related to the ,boots to ,business ,program1 is made available to other participating agencies in the ,transition ,assistance ,program and upon request of other agencies4 7#e7 ,competitive bidding procedures ,the ,administration shall use relevant competitive bidding procedures with respect to any contract or cooperative agreement executed by the ,administration under the ,boots to ,business ,program4 7#f7 ,publication of notice of funding opportunity ,not later than #cj days before the deadline for submitting applications for any funding opportunity under the ,boots to ,business ,program1 the ,administration shall publish a notice of the funding opportunity4 7#g7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 and not less frequently than annually thereafter1 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 on the performance and effectiveness of the ,boots to ,business ,program1 which-- 7,a7 may be included as part of another report submitted to such committees by the ,administrator related to the ,office of ,veterans ,business ,development2 and 7,b7 shall summarize available information relating to-- 7i7 grants awarded under paragraph 7#d77;,c72 7ii7 the total cost of the ,boots to ,business ,program2 7iii7 the amount of program funds used for domestic and international travel expenses2 7iv7 the number of program participants using each component of the ,boots to ,business ,program2 7v7 the completion rates for each component of the ,boots to ,business ,program2 7vi7 to the extent possible-- 7,i7 the demographics of program participants1 to include gender1 age1 race1 ethnicity1 and relationship to military2 7,,ii7 the number of program participants that connect with a district office of the ,administration1 a ,veteran ,business ,outreach ,center1 or another resource partner of the ,administration2 7,,iii7 the number of program participants that start a small business concern2 7,,iv7 the results of the ,boots to ,business and ,boots to ,business ,reboot course quality surveys conducted by the ,office of ,veterans ,business ,development before and after attending each of those courses1 including a summary of any comments received from program participants2 7,v7 the results of the ,boots to ,business ,program outcome surveys conducted by the ,office of ,veterans ,business ,development1 including a summary of any comments received from program participants2 and 7,,vi7 the results of other germane participant satisfaction surveys2 7,c7 an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the ,boots to ,business ,program based on each geographic region covered by the ,administration during the most recent fiscal year2 7,d7 an assessment of additional performance outcome measures for the ,boots to ,business ,program1 as identified by the ,administrator2 7,e7 any recommendations of the ,administrator for improvement of the ,boots to ,business ,program1 which may include expansion of the types of individuals who are covered individuals2 7,f7 an explanation of how the ,boots to ,business ,program has been integrated with other transition programs and related resources of the ,administration and other ,federal agencies2 and 7,g7 any additional information the ,administrator determines necessary4 4