Native Chamorro Equity Act
This bill establishes a Chamorro Registry program. It also allows eligible Native Chamorro organizations to qualify for federal contracting opportunities through their participation in certain small business programs that are administered by the Small Business Administration.
First, the bill establishes a Chamorro Registry program under the Guam Department of Chamorro Affairs. The program must keep a database to serve as a genealogy bank to verify Native Chamorro ancestry requirements.
Next, it treats businesses owned by economically disadvantaged Native Chamorro organizations as socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses for purposes of the Minority Small Business and Capital Ownership Development program, which is commonly known as the 8(a) program. Further, it allows businesses that are owned by Native Chamorro organizations to participate in the Historically Underutilized Business Zone Empowerment Contracting (HUBZone) program.
The 8(a) program and the HUBZone program each limit competition for certain government contracts to participating small businesses.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7986 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7986
To provide for contracting with Native Chamorro Organizations, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 7, 2020
Mr. San Nicolas introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on
Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for contracting with Native Chamorro Organizations, 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 ``Native Chamorro Equity Act''.
SEC. 2. CHAMORRO REGISTRY PROGRAM.
The Organic Act of Guam (48 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended by
inserting after section 3 the following:
``Sec. 4. (a) There is established under the Department of Chamorro
Affairs the `Chamorro Registry Program' which shall keep a database to
serve as a genealogy bank to verify Native Chamorro ancestry
requirements. The President of the Department of Chamorro Affairs shall
include in the database the name of any individual who submits to that
President a request to be included and a copy of that individual's
birth certificate and direct ancestors birth certificates that
demonstrate that one or more of the individual's direct ancestors
resided on Guam before August 1, 1950.
``(b)(1) In this section, the term `Native Chamorro' means an
individual who can document that one or more of the individual's direct
ancestors resided on Guam before August 1, 1950.
``(2) No residency or blood quantum amount shall be required for an
individual to qualify as a `Native Chammoro' under paragraph (1).''.
SEC. 3. SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTING FOR NATIVE CHAMORRO ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Native Chamorro Organization Defined.--Section 3 of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(ff) Native Chamorro Organization.--
``(1) In general.--In this Act, the term `Native Chamorro
Organization' means any organization--
``(A) that is a nonprofit corporation that has
filed articles of incorporation with the director (or
the designee thereof) of the Guam Department of Revenue
and Taxation, or any successor agency;
``(B) that is controlled by Native Chamorros; and
``(C) whose business activities will principally
benefit Native Chamorros.
``(2) Rule of construction.--The Administrator shall, to
the extent practicable, determine whether an organization is a
Native Chamorro Organization in the same manner as such
determination is made under section 8(a)(15) with respect to
Native Hawaiian Organizations.''.
(b) Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Small Business
Concern.--Section 8(a)(4) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(a)(4)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in clause (i)--
(i) in subclause (II), by striking ``or''
at the end; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following new
subclause:
``(IV) an economically disadvantaged Native
Chamorro Organization, or''; and
(B) in clause (ii)--
(i) in subclause (II), by striking ``or''
at the end;
(ii) in subclause (III), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``, or''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new subclause:
``(IV) an economically disadvantaged Native
Chamorro Organization.''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) in clause (ii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``, or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iv) Native Chamorro Organizations described in
subparagraph (A)(i)(IV) or subparagraph (A)(ii)(IV).''.
(c) HUBZone Small Business Concern.--Section 31(b)(2) (15 U.S.C.
657a note) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (E)(ii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (F)(iii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(G) a small business concern--
``(i) that is wholly owned by one or more
Native Chamorro Organizations, or by a
corporation that is wholly owned by one or more
Native Chamorro Organizations; or
``(ii) that is owned in part by one or more
Native Chamorro Organizations, or by a
corporation that is wholly owned by one or more
Native Chamorro Organizations, if all other
owners are either United States citizens or
small business concerns.''.
(d) Findings.--Section 2(f)(1)(C) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 631(f)(1)(C)) is amended by inserting ``Native Chamorro
Organizations,'' after ``Native Hawaiian Organizations,''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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