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108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1977
To promote the manufacturing industry in the United States by
establishing an Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing within the
Department of Commerce, an Interagency Manufacturing Task Force, and a
Small Business Manufacturing Task Force, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 25, 2003
Ms. Snowe (for herself and Mr. Voinovich) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote the manufacturing industry in the United States by
establishing an Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing within the
Department of Commerce, an Interagency Manufacturing Task Force, and a
Small Business Manufacturing Task Force, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Small
Manufacturers Assistance, Recovery, and Trade Act'' or ``SMART Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--MANUFACTURING AND TRADE REPRESENTATIVES AND TASK FORCE
Sec. 101. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing.
Sec. 102. Interagency Manufacturing Task Force.
Sec. 103. Assistant United States Trade Representative for Small
Business.
TITLE II--SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Subtitle A--Manufacturing and Entrepreneurial Development
Sec. 201. Small Business Manufacturing Task Force.
Sec. 202. Entrepreneurial development programs and services.
Subtitle B--Small Business Loan Programs
Sec. 211. Increased loan amounts for exporters.
Sec. 212. Debenture size.
Sec. 213. Job creation or retention standards.
Sec. 214. Clarification of maximum surety bond guarantee.
Subtitle C--International Trade
Sec. 221. Office of International Trade.
TITLE I--MANUFACTURING AND TRADE REPRESENTATIVES AND TASK FORCE
SEC. 101. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR MANUFACTURING.
(a) Establishment.--There shall be in the Department of Commerce,
in addition to the Assistant Secretaries of Commerce provided by law as
of the date of enactment of this Act, 1 additional Assistant Secretary
of Commerce, to be known as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Manufacturing, who shall--
(1) be appointed by the President, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate; and
(2) be compensated at the rate of pay provided for under
level IV of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5315).
(b) Duties.--The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing
shall--
(1) identify and address the concerns of manufacturers;
(2) represent and advocate for the interests of United
States manufacturers;
(3) aid in the development of policies that promote the
vitality and expansion of United States manufacturing;
(4) review policies that adversely impact manufacturers;
(5) identify and address issues that are unique to small
manufacturers and those that are exacerbated by the size or
limited capital of small manufacturers; and
(6) perform such other duties as the Secretary of Commerce
may prescribe.
(c) Reporting Requirements.--The Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Manufacturing shall submit to Congress an annual report that
contains--
(1) an overview of the state of the manufacturing sector in
the United States;
(2) a forecast of the future state of the manufacturing
sector in the United States; and
(3) an analysis of current and significant laws,
regulations, and policies that adversely impact the
manufacturing sector in the United States.
(d) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 5315 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by striking ``Assistant Secretaries of
Commerce (11)'' and inserting ``Assistant Secretaries of Commerce
(12)''.
SEC. 102. INTERAGENCY MANUFACTURING TASK FORCE.
(a) Establishment.--There is established an Interagency
Manufacturing Task Force (referred to in this section as the ``IMTF'')
for the purposes of--
(1) maximizing the efforts and resources of Federal
agencies in assisting the manufacturing industry;
(2) improving interagency cooperation in their efforts to
assist the manufacturing industry;
(3) encouraging additional efforts to assist United States
manufacturers;
(4) coordinating the agencies' efforts to assist the
manufacturing industry; and
(5) identifying and addressing collective manufacturing
concerns.
(b) Membership.--The IMTF shall be composed of 14 members,
including--
(1) the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing,
who shall serve as chair of the IMTF;
(2) a representative of the Department of the Treasury, to
be designated by the Secretary of the Treasury;
(3) a representative of the Department of Defense, to be
designated by the Secretary of Defense;
(4) a representative of the Department of Education, to be
designated by the Secretary of Education;
(5) a representative of the Department of Energy, to be
designated by the Secretary of Energy;
(6) a representative of the Department of Health and Human
Services, to be designated by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services;
(7) a representative of the Department of Homeland
Security, to be designated by the Secretary of Homeland
Security;
(8) a representative of the Department of Labor, to be
designated by the Secretary of Labor;
(9) a representative of the Environmental Protection
Agency, to be designated by the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency;
(10) a representative of the Office of the United States
Trade Representative, to be designated by the United States
Trade Representative;
(11) a representative of the Small Business Administration,
to be designated by the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration;
(12) a representative of the Executive Office of the
President, to be designated by the President; and
(13) 2 additional members, to be designated by the
President.
(c) Duties.--Under the direction of the Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Manufacturing, the IMTF shall--
(1) provide advice and counsel to the President and
Congress on matters of importance to manufacturers;
(2) monitor, coordinate, and promote the plans, programs,
and operations of the departments and agencies of the Federal
Government that may contribute to the growth of the United
States manufacturing industry;
(3) develop and promote new public sector initiatives,
policies, programs, and plans designed to foster the
manufacturing industry;
(4) review, monitor, and coordinate plans and programs
developed in the public sector, which affect the ability of
manufacturers to obtain capital, credit, and access to
technology;
(5) identify and address regulations that are needlessly
burdensome on manufacturers; and
(6) design a comprehensive plan for a joint public-private
sector effort to facilitate the growth and development of the
United States manufacturing industry.
(d) Meetings.--
(1) Frequency.--The IMTF shall meet not less than 4 times
per year to perform the duties under subsection (c).
(2) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the IMTF shall
constitute a quorum to approve recommendations or reports.
(e) Personnel Matters.--
(1) Compensation of members.--
(A) Federal employees.--Each member of the IMTF who
is an officer or employee of the Federal Government
shall serve without compensation in addition to that
received for services rendered as an officer or
employee of the United States.
(B) Other members.--Each member of the IMTF who is
not an officer or employee of the Federal Government
shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily
equivalent for level IV of the Executive Schedule (5
U.S.C. 5315) for each day (including travel time)
during which such member is engaged in the performance
of the duties of the IMTF.
(2) Travel expenses.--The members of the IMTF shall be
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of Federal
agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United
States Code, while away from their homes or regular place of
business in the performance of services for the IMTF.
(3) Detail of federal employees.--Any employee of the
Federal Government may be detailed to the IMTF without
reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or
loss of civil service status or privilege.
(f) Reports.--
(1) Findings and recommendations.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually
thereafter, the IMTF shall submit a report containing the
findings and recommendations described in paragraphs (1)
through (5) of subsection (c) to--
(A) the President;
(B) the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
(C) the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Growth plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Manufacturing shall submit the plan prepared pursuant to
subsection (c)(6) to--
(A) the President;
(B) the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
(C) the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 103. ASSISTANT UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE FOR SMALL
BUSINESS.
Section 141(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2171(c)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(6)(A) There is established within the Office the position of
Assistant United States Trade Representative for Small Business, which
shall be appointed by the United States Trade Representative.
``(B) The Assistant United States Trade Representative for Small
Business shall--
``(i) promote the trade interests of small businesses,
including manufacturers;
``(ii) identify and address foreign trade barriers that
impede small business exporters;
``(iii) enforce existing trade agreements beneficial to
small businesses;
``(iv) maintain an open line of communication with the
Small Business Administration concerning small business trade
issues;
``(v) ensure that small business concerns are considered in
trade negotiations and agreements; and
``(vi) perform such other duties as the United States Trade
Representative may direct.
``(C) The Assistant United States Trade Representative for Small
Business shall be paid at the level of a member of the Senior Executive
Service with equivalent time and service.''.
TITLE II--SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Subtitle A--Manufacturing and Entrepreneurial Development
SEC. 201. SMALL BUSINESS MANUFACTURING TASK FORCE.
(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Small Business
Administration (referred to in this subtitle as the ``Administrator'')
shall establish a Small Business Manufacturing Task Force (referred to
in this section as the ``Task Force'') to address the concerns of small
manufacturers.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of a
representative from--
(A) the Office of Capital Access;
(B) the Office of Entrepreneurial Development;
(C) the Office of Administration and Management;
(D) the Office of Government Contracting and
Business Development; and
(E) any other employee of the Small Business
Administration, on a temporary basis, as determined
necessary by the Administrator to carry out the goals
of the Task Force.
(2) Chair.--The Administrator shall assign a member of the
Task Force to serve as chair of the Task Force.
(c) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
(1) evaluate and identify whether programs and services are
sufficient to serve the needs of small manufacturers;
(2) ensure that the Small Business Administration
implements the small business manufacturing training programs
established under section 202;
(3) actively promote the programs and services of the Small
Business Administration that serve small manufacturers; and
(4) identify and study the unique conditions facing small
manufacturers and develop and propose policy initiatives to
support and assist small manufacturers.
(d) Meetings.--
(1) Frequency.--The Task Force shall meet not less than 4
times per year, and more frequently if necessary to perform its
duties.
(2) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Task Force
shall constitute a quorum to approve recommendations or
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