To amend the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a vocational and technical entrepreneurship development program.

July 27, 2001

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania (for himself and Ms. VELAZQUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business

To amend the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a vocational and technical entrepreneurship development 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 `Vocational and Technical Entrepreneurship Development Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended--

(1) by redesignating section 36 as section 37; and

(2) by inserting after section 35 the following new section:

`SEC. 36. VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

`(a) DEFINITIONS- In this section, the following definitions apply:

`(1) ADMINISTRATOR- The term `Administrator' means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

`(2) PROGRAM- The term `program' means the program established under subsection (b).

`(3) SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER- The term `small business development center' means a small business development center described in section 21.

`(b) ESTABLISHMENT- In accordance with this section, the Administrator shall establish a program under which the Administrator shall make grants to small business development centers to enable such centers to provide technical assistance to secondary schools, or to postsecondary vocational or technical schools, for the development and implementation of curricula designed to promote vocational and technical entrepreneurship.

`(c) MINIMUM GRANT- The Administrator may make no grant under the program for an amount less than $200,000.

`(d) APPLICATION- Each small business development center seeking a grant under the program shall submit to the Administrator an application in such form as the Administrator may require. The application shall include information regarding the applicant's goals and objectives for the educational programs to be assisted.

`(e) REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR- The Administrator shall make a condition of each grant under the program that not later than 18 months after the receipt of the grant the recipient shall transmit to the Administrator a report describing how the grant funds were used.

`(f) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS- The Administrator may enter into a cooperative agreement or contract with a small business development center receiving a grant under this section to provide additional assistance that furthers the purposes of this section.

`(g) EVALUATION OF PROGRAM- Not later than March 31, 2004, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report containing an evaluation of the program.

`(h) CLEARINGHOUSE-

`(1) SELECTION- Before making grants under the program, the Administrator shall select an association established pursuant to section 21(a)(3)(A) to act as a clearinghouse of information and expertise regarding vocational and technical entrepreneurship education programs.

`(2) ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED- In each fiscal year in which grants are made under the program, the Administrator shall provide additional assistance to the association selected under paragraph (1) to carry out the functions described in such paragraph.

`(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004. Such sums shall remain available until expended.'.

END