Small Business Contracting Clarity Act of 2015
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that it is in the best interests of the United States to consistently promote and assist Native Hawaiian Organizations, which are deemed to be economically disadvantaged for purposes of Small Business Administration (SBA) procurement contract requirements.
The Small Business Act is amended to designate these Organizations as HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small businesses for purposes of SBA assistance.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2950 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2950
To amend the Small Business Act to streamline and clarify small
business contracting opportunities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 7, 2015
Mr. Takai introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Small Business
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Small Business Act to streamline and clarify small
business contracting opportunities, and for other purposes.
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 ``Small Business Contracting Clarity
Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Native Hawaiians make up an economically disadvantaged
group.
(2) According to statistics from 2013, in the United
States--
(A) only 1 in 5 Native Hawaiians had attained a
bachelor's degree or higher (20.5 percent), which is
lower than percentage nationally (29.1 percent), the
percentage for Whites (32.5 percent), and the
percentage for Asians (50.7 percent);
(B) the unemployment rate of Native Hawaiians (7.5
percent) was higher than the national unemployment rate
(5.9 percent);
(C) Native Hawaiians remained underrepresented in
management, business, sciences and arts occupations
(28.4 percent) in comparison to the national level or
representation (36.2 percent);
(D) the average earnings of a Native Hawaiian
household ($70,686) was lower than the national average
($74,657);
(E) the percentage of Native Hawaiian households
receiving benefits from the supplemental nutrition
assistance program (18.8 percent) was higher than the
national percentage (13.4 percent);
(F) the poverty rate of Native Hawaiian families
(13.2 percent) remains higher than the national rate
(11.7 percent); and
(G) approximately 34 percent of Native Hawaiian
households surveyed did not have a savings account, in
comparison to 29.5 percent of all households surveyed.
(3) In 2001, the Department of the Treasury found that
Native Hawaiians living on Hawaiian Home Lands (as defined in
section 247(d)(2) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-
12(d)(2))) face significant barriers to capital access, credit,
and basic financial services.
(4) The United States as a whole will benefit from policies
that assist Native Hawaiians in economic equality.
(5) Participation in the free enterprise system is
essential to gain economic equality and self-sufficiency for
Native Hawaiians.
(6) Government procurement from Native Hawaiian
Organizations (as defined in section 8(a)(15) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(15))) offers a way for Native
Hawaiians to participate in our free enterprise system by
providing goods and services, revenue, and jobs for Native
Hawaiians.
(7) Consistent promotion of and Federal assistance for
Native Hawaiian Organizations will guarantee that Native
Hawaiians gain and maintain economic equality.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that it is in
the best interests of the United States to consistently promote and
assist Native Hawaiian Organizations.
SEC. 3. SMALL BUSINESS CONFORMITY.
(a) HUBZone Eligibility.--
(1) In general.--Section 3(p)(3) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 632(p)(3)) is amended--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as
subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the
following:
``(D) a small business concern--
``(i) that is wholly owned by one or more
Native Hawaiian Organizations (as defined in
section 8(a)(15)), or by a corporation that is
wholly owned by one or more Native Hawaiian
Organizations; or
``(ii) that is owned in part by one or more
Native Hawaiian Organizations, or by a
corporation that is wholly owned by one or more
Native Hawaiian Organizations, if all other
owners are either United States citizens or
small business concerns;''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 3(p)(5)(A)(i)(I)(aa) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(p)(5)(A)(i)(I)(aa)) is
amended by striking ``subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E)
of paragraph (3)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (A), (B), (C),
(D), (E) or (F) of paragraph (3)''.
(b) 8(a) Program.--
(1) In general.--Section 8(a)(6)(A) of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(6)(A)) is amended by adding at the end
the following new sentence: ``Native Hawaiian Organizations (as
defined in paragraph (15)) shall be deemed to be economically
disadvantaged for the purposes of this subsection.''.
(2) Applicability.--The amendment made by this subsection
shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act and
apply to determinations of economic disadvantage made before,
on, or after the date of enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
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