S 396 IS

To provide for national quadrennial summits on small business and State summits on small business, to establish the White House Quadrennial Commission on Small Business, and for other purposes.

February 27, 2001

Mr. BOND (for himself and Mr. KERRY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business

To provide for national quadrennial summits on small business and State summits on small business, to establish the White House Quadrennial Commission on Small Business, 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 `White House Quadrennial Small Business Summit Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act--

(1) the term `Administrator' means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;

(2) the term `Chief Counsel' means the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration;

(3) the term `Small Business Commission' means the national White House Quadrennial Commission on Small Business established under section 6;

(4) the term `Small Business Summit'--

(A) means the White House Quadrennial Summit on Small Business conducted under section 3(a); and

(B) includes the last White House Conference on Small Business occurring before 2002;

(5) the term `small business' has the meaning given the term `small business concern' in section 3 of the Small Business Act;

(6) the term `State' means any of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands; and

(7) the term `State Summit' means a State Summit on Small Business conducted under section 3(b).

SEC. 3. NATIONAL AND STATE QUADRENNIAL SUMMITS ON SMALL BUSINESS.

(a) QUADRENNIAL SUMMITS- There shall be a national White House Quadrennial Summit on Small Business once every 4 years, to be held during the second year following each Presidential election, to carry out the purposes set forth in section 4.

(b) STATE SUMMITS- Each Small Business Summit referred to in subsection (a) shall be preceded by a State Summit on Small Business, with not fewer than 1 such summit held in each State, and with not fewer than 2 such summits held in any State having a population of more than 10,000,000.

SEC. 4. PURPOSES OF SMALL BUSINESS SUMMITS.

The purposes of each Small Business Summit shall be--

(1) to increase public awareness of the contribution of small business to the national economy;

(2) to identify the problems of small business;

(3) to examine the status of minorities and women as small business owners;

(4) to assist small business in carrying out its role as the Nation's job creator;

(5) to assemble small businesses to develop such specific and comprehensive recommendations for legislative and regulatory action as may be appropriate for maintaining and encouraging the economic viability of small business and thereby, the Nation; and

(6) to review the status of recommendations adopted at the immediately preceding Small Business Summit.

SEC. 5. SUMMIT PARTICIPANTS.

(a) IN GENERAL- To carry out the purposes set forth in section 4, the Small Business Commission shall conduct Small Business Summits and State Summits to bring together individuals concerned with issues relating to small business.

(b) SUMMIT DELEGATES-

(1) QUALIFICATION- Only individuals who are owners or officers of a small business shall be eligible for appointment or election as delegates (or alternates) to the Small Business Summit, or be eligible to vote in the selection of delegates at the State Summits pursuant to this subsection.

(2) APPOINTED DELEGATES- Two months before the date of the first State Summit, there shall be--

(A) 1 delegate (and 1 alternate) appointed by the Governor of each State;

(B) 1 delegate (and 1 alternate) appointed by each Member of the House of Representatives, from the congressional district of that Member;

(C) 1 delegate (and 1 alternate) appointed by each Member of the Senate from the home State of that Member; and

(D) 53 delegates (and 53 alternates) appointed by the President, 1 from each State.

(3) ELECTED DELEGATES- The participants at each State Summit shall elect 3 delegates and 3 alternates to the Small Business Summit for each congressional district within the State, or part of the State represented at the Summit, or not fewer than 9 delegates, pursuant to rules developed by the Small Business Commission.

(4) POWERS AND DUTIES- Delegates to each Small Business Summit shall--

(A) attend the State summits in his or her respective State;

(B) elect a delegation chairperson, vice chairperson, and other leadership as may be necessary;

(C) conduct meetings and other activities at the State level before the date of the Small Business Summit, subject to the approval of the Small Business Commission; and

(D) direct such State level summits, meetings, and activities toward the consideration of the purposes set forth in section 4, in order to prepare for the next Small Business Summit.

(5) ALTERNATES- Alternates shall serve during the absence or unavailability of the delegate.

(c) ROLE OF THE CHIEF COUNSEL- The Chief Counsel shall, after consultation and in coordination with the Small Business Commission, assist in carrying out the Small Business Summits and State Summits required by this Act by--

(1) preparing and providing background information and administrative materials for use by participants in the summits;

(2) distributing issue information and administrative communications, electronically where possible through an Internet web site and e-mail, and in printed form if requested;

(3) maintaining an Internet web site and regular e-mail communications after each Small Business Summit to inform delegates and the public of the status of recommendations and related governmental activity; and

(4) maintaining, between summits, an active interim organization of delegate representatives from each region of the Administration, to advise the Chief Counsel on each of the major small business issue areas, and monitor the progress of the Summits' recommendations.

(d) EXPENSES- Each delegate (and alternate) to each Small Business Summit and State Summit--

(1) shall be responsible for the expenses of that delegate related to attending the summits; and

(2) shall not be reimbursed either from funds made available pursuant to this section or the Small Business Act.

(e) ADVISORY COMMITTEE-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Small Business Commission shall appoint a Summit Advisory Committee, which shall be composed of 10 individuals who were participants at the most recently preceding Small Business Summit, to advise the Small Business Commission on the organization, rules, and processes of the Summits.

(2) PREFERENCE- Preference for appointment under this subsection shall be given to individuals who have been active participants in the implementation process following the most recently preceding Small Business Summit.

(f) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION- Small Business Summits and State Summits shall be open to the public, and no fee or charge may be imposed on any attendee, other than an amount necessary to cover the cost of any meal provided, plus, with respect to State Summits, a registration fee to defray the expense of meeting rooms and materials of not to exceed $20 per person.

SEC. 6. WHITE HOUSE QUADRENNIAL COMMISSION ON SMALL BUSINESS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established the White House Quadrennial Commission on Small Business.

(b) MEMBERSHIP-

(1) APPOINTMENT- The Small Business Commission shall be composed of 9 members, including--

(A) the Chief Counsel;

(B) 4 members appointed by the President;

(C) 1 member appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate;

(D) 1 member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(E) 1 member appointed by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(F) 1 member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(2) SELECTION- Members of the Small Business Commission described in subparagraphs (B) through (F) of paragraph (1) shall be selected from among distinguished individuals noted for their knowledge and experience in fields relevant to the issue of small business and the purposes set forth in section 4.

(3) TIME OF APPOINTMENT- The appointments required by paragraph (1)--

(A) shall be made not later than 18 months before the opening date of each Small Business Summit; and

(B) shall expire 6 months after the date on which each Small Business Summit is convened.

(c) ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON- At the first meeting of the Small Business Commission, a majority of the members present and voting shall elect a member of the Small Business Commission to serve as the Chairperson.

(d) POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION- The Small Business Commission--

(1) may enter into contracts with public agencies, private organizations, and academic institutions to carry out this Act;

(2) shall consult, coordinate, and contract with an independent, nonpartisan organization that--

(A) has both substantive and logistical experience in developing and organizing conferences and forums throughout the Nation with elected officials and other government and business leaders;

(B) has experience in generating private resources from multiple States in the form of event sponsorships; and

(C) can demonstrate evidence of a working relationship with Members of Congress from the majority and minority parties, and at least 1 Federal agency; and

(3) shall prescribe such financial controls and accounting procedures as needed for the handling of funds from fees and charges and the payment of authorized meal, facility, travel, and other related expenses.

(e) PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION OF SUMMITS- In carrying out the Small Business Summits and State Summits, the Small Business Commission shall consult with--

(1) the Chief Counsel;

(2) Congress; and

(3) such other Federal agencies as the Small Business Commission determines to be appropriate.

(f) REPORTS REQUIRED- Not later than 6 months after the date on which each Small Business Summit is convened, the Small Business Commission shall submit to the President and to the Chairpersons and Ranking Members of the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and the House of Representatives a final report, which shall--

(1) include the findings and recommendations of the Small Business Summit and any proposals for legislative action necessary to implement those recommendations; and

(2) be made available to the public.

(g) QUORUM- Four voting members of the Small Business Commission shall constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting business.

(h) MEETINGS- The Small Business Commission shall meet not later than 20 calendar days after the appointment of the initial members of the Small Business Commission, and not less frequently than every 30 calendar days thereafter.

(i) VACANCIES- Any vacancy on the Small Business Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(j) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF- The Small Business Commission may appoint and compensate an Executive Director and such other personnel to conduct the Small Business Summits and State Summits as the Small Business Commission may determine to be advisable, without regard to title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the Executive Director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.

(k) FUNDING- Members of the Small Business Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Small Business Commission.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out each Small Business Summit and the State Summits required by this Act, $5,000,000, which shall remain available until expended. New spending authority or authority to enter contracts as provided in this title shall be effective only to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts.

(b) SPECIFIC EARMARK- No amount made available to the Small Business Administration may be made available to carry out this title, other than amounts made available specifically for the purpose of conducting the Small Business Summits and State Summits.

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