Today In Washington – May 9, 2018

Today In Washington
May 9, 2018
Source: Jennifer White – Director, Government Relations

House Passes Seven Small Business Bills – Yesterday, the House voted to pass seven of nine small business bills under suspension of the rules— a procedure used to quickly pass non-controversial bills. The two bills that did not pass were H.R. 4668 (A central unit and regional cybersecurity assistance units would be created to encourage small businesses to share cyberthreat information with the federal government) and H.R. 1700 (The SBA’s SCORE program would be reauthorized and directed to develop oversight measures and would authorize $10.5 million for both FY2019 and FY2020).

The seven bills that passed:
• SMALL BUSINESS CYBER TRAINING: H.R. 3170 – The Small Business Administration would offer cybersecurity and related planning assistance. The bill would require the SBA to train Small Business Development Center employees in counseling small businesses on cybersecurity questions.
• FEDERAL CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS: H.R. 4754 – Small business contractors and subcontractors seeking bids for federal construction projects would receive improved information from agencies including performance data and policies on change orders.
• WOMEN’S BUSINESS OFFICE: H.R. 1680 – The Office of Women’s Business Ownership’s responsibilities would be modified and it would be authorized to make larger grants to women’s business centers.
• SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS: H.R. 1702 – The SBA’s Small Business Development Center grant program would be modified and given new reporting requirements.
• SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT COMPANIES: H.R. 4111 – The creation of new Small Business Investment Companies in underserved states would be promoted under this bill.
• EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP OF COMPANIES: H.R. 5236 – Employee cooperatives would become eligible for loans backed by the Small Business Administration. The bill would also allow loans to be made to a small business to facilitate employees’ purchase of the firm. The measure also would require additional agency outreach to promote employee purchase of companies.
• SMALL BUSINESS LENDING OVERSIGHT: H.R. 4743 – The Small Business Administration’s Office of Credit Risk Management would be codified and given new oversight responsibilities for the 7(a) program.

Hearings:
• Today @ 10 AM: House Committee on Armed Services Markup: H.R. 5515 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, 2118 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Today @ 11 AM: House Small Business Committee, Ready, Willing, and Able to Work: How Small Businesses Empower People with Developmental Disabilities, 2360 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Today @ 4 PM: House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, FY 19 Markup, 2362-A Rayburn House Office Building.