[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4613 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4613
To authorize the Small Business Administrator to establish a grant
program to empower encore entrepreneurs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 8, 2014
Mr. Garcia (for himself and Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small
Business
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Small Business Administrator to establish a grant
program to empower encore entrepreneurs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Empowering Encore Entrepreneurs Act
of 2014''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the
Small Business Administration.
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(3) Encore entrepreneur.--The term ``encore entrepreneur''
means an entrepreneur, businessperson, or owner of a small
business concern--
(A) who is seeking to start a new small business
concern or expand an existing small business concern;
and
(B) who--
(i) is not less than 50 years of age; or
(ii) has not less than 20 years of
experience in a workplace.
(4) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit
organization'' means an organization that is described in
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is
exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
(5) Small business concern.--The term ``small business
concern'' has the meaning given that term under section 3 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
(6) Small business development center.--The term ``small
business development center'' means a small business
development center described in section 21 of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648).
(7) Women's business center.--The term ``women's business
center'' means a project carried out under section 29 of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656).
SEC. 3. EMPOWERING ENCORE ENTREPRENEURS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Administrator shall establish a program under which the Administrator
may enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, or make grants
to, nonprofit organizations, including small business development
centers, women's business centers, chapters participating in the SCORE
program authorized by section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)), and other resource partners of the
Administration, and appropriate private sector organizations or
entities to provide technical assistance, mentoring, and other
specialized training activities for encore entrepreneurs.
(b) Uses of Funds.--Amounts made available under subsection (a) may
be used to provide technical assistance, mentoring, and other
specialized training activities including--
(1) online resources and training for encore entrepreneurs,
including virtual networking and mentoring tools;
(2) workshops, training, and business networking events for
encore entrepreneurs; or
(3) programs to assist encore entrepreneurs in remaining in
or re-entering the labor market through self-employment.
(c) Application.--An entity desiring a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under subsection (a) shall submit to the
Administrator an application that contains--
(1) a description of the goals of the project to be funded;
(2) a list of any partners that plan to participate in the
project to be funded; and
(3) any other information the Administrator determines is
necessary.
(d) Special Consideration.--The Administrator shall give special
consideration to applications seeking funding for programs for--
(1) members of the Armed Forces impacted by base closures
or realignment; or
(2) encore entrepreneurs unemployed for a period of not
less than 1 year.
(e) Termination.--The program established in subsection (a) shall
terminate on September 30, 2017.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON BARRIERS FACED BY ENCORE ENTREPRENEURS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with other
relevant Federal agencies, 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 describes the
barriers and obstacles faced by encore entrepreneurs in starting new
small business concerns or expanding existing small business concerns.
(b) Contents.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) a review of the accessibility and availability of
credit and other forms of financing for encore entrepreneurs;
(2) a review of the availability of Federal contracting
opportunities for encore entrepreneurs;
(3) a review of the accessibility and availability of
counseling and mentoring programs for encore entrepreneurs; and
(4) policy recommendations, if any, for improving Federal
assistance and coordination on programs assisting encore
entrepreneurs.
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