STEP A Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act to extend the three-year pilot State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program originally established under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3619 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3619
To amend and extend The State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 22, 2013
Ms. Bass introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Small Business
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend and extend The State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program.
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 ``STEP A Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. STATE TRADE AND EXPORT PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM.
The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 47 as section 48; and
(2) by inserting after section 46 the following:
``SEC. 47. STATE TRADE AND EXPORT PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `eligible small business concern' means a
small business concern that--
``(A) has been in business for not less than the 1-
year period ending on the date on which assistance is
provided using a grant under this section;
``(B) is operating profitably, based on operations
in the United States;
``(C) has demonstrated understanding of the costs
associated with exporting and doing business with
foreign purchasers, including the costs of freight
forwarding, customs brokers, packing and shipping, as
determined by the Associate Administrator; and
``(D) has in effect a strategic plan for exporting;
``(2) the term `program' means the State Trade and Export
Promotion Grant Program established under subsection (b);
``(3) the term `small business concern owned and controlled
by women' has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632);
``(4) the term `socially and economically disadvantaged
small business concern' has the meaning given that term in
section 8(a)(4)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
6537(a)(4)(A)); and
``(5) the term `State' means each of the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, and American Samoa.
``(b) Establishment of Program.--The Associate Administrator shall
establish a trade and export promotion program to be known as the State
Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program, to make grants to States to
carry out export programs that assist eligible small business concerns
in--
``(1) participation in a foreign trade mission;
``(2) a foreign market sales trip;
``(3) a subscription to services provided by the Department
of Commerce;
``(4) the payment of website translation fees;
``(5) the design of international marketing media;
``(6) a trade show exhibition;
``(7) participation in training workshops; or
``(8) any other export initiative determined appropriate by
the Associate Administrator.
``(c) Grants.--
``(1) Joint review.--In carrying out the program, the
Associate Administrator may make a grant to a State to increase
the number of eligible small business concerns in the State
that export or to increase the value of the exports by eligible
small business concerns in the State.
``(2) Considerations.--In making grants under this section,
the Associate Administrator may give priority to an application
by a State that proposes a program that--
``(A) focuses on eligible small business concerns
as part of an export promotion program;
``(B) demonstrates success in promoting exports
by--
``(i) socially and economically
disadvantaged small business concerns;
``(ii) small business concerns owned or
controlled by women; and
``(iii) rural small business concerns;
``(C) promotes exports from a State that is not 1
of the 10 States with the highest percentage of
exporters that are small business concerns, based upon
the latest data available from the Department of
Commerce; and
``(D) promotes new-to-market export opportunities
to Sub-Saharan Africa for eligible small business
concerns in the United States.
``(3) Limitations.--
``(A) Single application.--A State may not submit
more than 1 application for a grant under the program
in any 1 fiscal year.
``(B) Proportion of amounts.--The total value of
grants under the program made during a fiscal year to
the 10 States with the highest number of exporters that
are small business concerns, based upon the latest data
available from the Department of Commerce, shall be not
more than 40 percent of the amounts appropriated for
the program for that fiscal year.
``(4) Application.--A State desiring a grant under the
program shall submit an application at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Associate
Administrator may establish.
``(d) Competitive Basis.--The Associate Administrator shall award
grants under the program on a competitive basis.
``(e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of an export
program carried out using a grant under the program shall be--
``(1) for a State that has a high export volume, as
determined by the Associate Administrator, not more than 65
percent; and
``(2) for a State that does not have a high export volume,
as determined by the Associate Administrator, not more than 75
percent.
``(f) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of an
export program carried using a grant under the program shall be
comprised of not less than 50 percent cash and not more than 50 percent
of indirect costs and in-kind contributions, except that no such costs
or contributions may be derived from funds from any other Federal
program.
``(g) Reports.--The Associate Administrator shall submit an annual
report to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the
Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives regarding the State Trade and Export Promotion Grant
Program, which shall include--
``(1) the description of the program and the selection
process conducted by States to award grants to small business
concerns;
``(2) the number and amount of grants made under the
program during the preceding year;
``(3) a list of the States receiving a grant under the
program during the preceding year, including the activities
being performed with grant;
``(4) the effect of each grant on exports by eligible small
business concerns in the State receiving the grant; and
``(5) the number of grants and amounts awarded under the
program covering exports to Sub-Saharan Africa.
``(h) Reviews by Inspector General.--
``(1) In general.--The Inspector General of the
Administration shall conduct a review of--
``(A) the extent to which recipients of grants
under the program are measuring the performance of the
activities being conducted and the results of the
measurements; and
``(B) the overall management and effectiveness of
the program.
``(2) Report.--Not later than the date that is 2 years
after the date of enactment of this section, and every 2 years
thereafter, the Inspector General of the Administration 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 review conducted
under paragraph (1).
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the program $30,000,000 for each fiscal year
after the date of enactment of this section.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
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