S 3564 — Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2022

3564 IntroducedReported in Senate (IS)](RS)] <DOC> 117thCalendar CONGRESSNo. 2d Session S.

392 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S.

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship _______________________________________________________________________May A25, BILL2022 ToReported amendby theMr. Small Business Act to codify the Boots to Business Program, and for other purposes.

BeCardin, itwith enactedan byamendment [Strike out all after the Senateenacting clause and Houseinsert ofthe Representativespart ofprinted in italic] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the UnitedSmall StatesBusiness ofAct Americato incodify Congressthe assembled,Boots SECTIONto 1.Business Program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <DELETED>SECTION 1.

SHORT TITLE.</DELETED> <DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2022''.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.

2.

BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.</DELETED> <DELETED> Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.

657b) is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(h) Boots to Business Program.--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(1) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the term `covered individual' means--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(A) a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) an individual who is participating in the Transition Assistance Program established under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(C) an individual who--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) served on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(D) a spouse or dependent of an individual described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(2) Establishment.--Beginning on the first October 1 after the date of enactment of this subsection and for the subsequent 4 fiscal years, the Administrator shall carry out a program to be known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(3) Goals.--The goals of the Boots to Business Program are to--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(A) provide assistance and in-depth training to covered individuals interested in business ownership;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) provide covered individuals with the tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity, draft a business plan, identify sources of capital, connect with local resources for small business concerns, and start up a small business concern.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(4) Program components.--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(A) In general.--The Boots to Business Program may include--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) a presentation providing exposure to the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) an online, self-study course focused on the basic skills of entrepreneurship, the language of business, and the considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(iii) an in-person classroom instruction component providing an introduction to the foundations of self-employment and ownership of a small business concern;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(iv) in-depth training delivered through online instruction, including an online course that leads to the creation of a business plan.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) Collaboration.--The Administrator may--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) collaborate with public and private entities to develop course curricula for the Boots to Business Program;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) modify program components in coordination with entities participating in a Warriors in Transition program, as defined in section 738(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10 U.S.C.

1071 note).</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(C) Use of resource partners.-- </DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(I) ensure that Veteran Business Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to Business Program;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(II) to the maximum extent practicable, use a variety of other resource partners and entities in administering the Boots to Business Program.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) Grant authority.--In carrying out clause (i), the Administrator may make grants to Veteran Business Outreach Centers, other resource partners, or other entities to carry out components of the Boots to Business Program.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(D) Availability to department of defense.--The Administrator shall make available to the Secretary of Defense information regarding the Boots to Business Program, including all course materials and outreach materials related to the Boots to Business Program, for inclusion on the website of the Department of Defense relating to the Transition Assistance Program, in the Transition Assistance Program manual, and in other relevant materials available for distribution from the Secretary of Defense.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(E) Availability to veterans affairs.-- In consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator shall make available for distribution and display at local facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs outreach materials regarding the Boots to Business Program which shall, at a minimum-- </DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) describe the Boots to Business Program and the services provided;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) include eligibility requirements for participating in the Boots to Business Program.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(5) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection and every year thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report on the performance and effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program, which may be included as part of another report submitted to such committees by the Administrator, and which shall include--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(A) information regarding grants awarded under paragraph (4)(C);</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) the total cost of the Boots to Business Program;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(C) the number of program participants using each component of the Boots to Business Program;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(D) the completion rates for each component of the Boots to Business Program;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(E) to the extent possible--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) the demographics of program participants, to include gender, age, race, relationship to military, military occupational specialty, and years of service of program participants;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) the number of small business concerns formed or expanded with assistance under the Boots to Business Program;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(iii) the gross receipts of small business concerns receiving assistance under the Boots to Business Program;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(iv) the number of jobs created with assistance under the Boots to Business Program;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(v) the number of referrals to other resources and programs of the Administration;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(vi) the number of program participants receiving financial assistance under loan programs of the Administration;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(vii) the type and dollar amount of financial assistance received by program participants under any loan program of the Administration;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(viii) results of participant satisfaction surveys, including a summary of any comments received from program participants;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(F) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program in each region of the Administration during the most recent fiscal year;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(G) an assessment of additional performance outcome measures for the Boots to Business Program, as identified by the Administrator;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(H) any recommendations of the Administrator for improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may include expansion of the types of individuals who are covered individuals;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(I) an explanation of how the Boots to Business Program has been integrated with other transition programs and related resources of the Administration and other Federal agencies;

and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(J) any additional information the Administrator determines necessary.''.</DELETED> SECTION 1.

``(2) Establishment.--BeginningEstablishment.--During on the firstperiod Octoberbeginning 1on after the date of enactment of this subsection and forending theon subsequentSeptember 430, fiscal2027, years, the Administrator shall carry out a program to be known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.

``(iii) an in-person classroom instruction component providing an introduction to the foundations of self-employmentself employment and ownership of a small business concern;

``(C) Use of resource partners.--partners and district offices.-- ``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall-- ``(I) ensure that Veteran Business Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to Business Program;

and ``(II) to the maximum extent practicable, use district offices of the Administration and a variety of other resource partners and entities in administering the Boots to Business Program.

``(D) Availability to department of defense.--Thedefense and the department of labor.--The Administrator shall make available to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor information regarding the Boots to Business Program, including all course materials and outreach materials related to the Boots to Business Program, for inclusion on the websitewebsites of the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor relating to the Transition Assistance Program, in the Transition Assistance Program manual, and in other relevant materials available for distribution from the Secretary of Defense.Defense and the Secretary of Labor.

``(E) Availability to department of veterans affairs.--In consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator shall make available for distribution and display on the website of the Department of Veterans Affairs and at local facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs outreach materials regarding the Boots to Business ProgramProgram, which shall, at a minimum-- ``(i) describe the Boots to Business Program and the services provided;

``(5)``(F) Report.--NotAvailability laterto thanother 180participating daysagencies.--The afterAdministrator theshall dateensure ofinformation enactmentregarding of this subsection and every year thereafter, the AdministratorBoots shall submit to the Committee on Small Business andprogram, Entrepreneurshipincluding ofall thecourse Senatematerials and theoutreach Committeematerials onrelated Smallto Business of the House of Representatives a report on the performance and effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program, whichis maymade beavailable includedto asother partparticipating ofagencies anotherin reportthe submittedTransition toAssistance suchProgram committees by the Administrator, and whichupon shallrequest include--of ``(A)other informationagencies. regarding grants awarded under paragraph (4)(C);

``(B)``(5) theCompetitive totalbidding costprocedures.--The ofAdministration shall use relevant competitive bidding procedures with respect to any contract or cooperative agreement executed by the Administration under the Boots to Business Program;Program.

``(C)``(6) thePublication numberof notice of programfunding participantsopportunity.--Not usinglater eachthan component30 ofdays before the deadline for submitting applications for any funding opportunity under the Boots to Business Program;Program, the Administration shall publish a notice of the funding opportunity.

``(D)``(7) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the completiondate ratesof forenactment eachof componentthis subsection, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report on the performance and effectiveness of the Boots to Business Program;Program, which-- ``(A) may be included as part of another report submitted to such committees by the Administrator related to the Office of Veterans Business Development;

``(E)and to``(B) theshall extentsummarize possible--available ``(i)information therelating demographicsto-- of``(i) programgrants participants,awarded tounder includeparagraph gender,(4)(C); age, race, relationship to military, military occupational specialty, and years of service of program participants;

``(ii) the numbertotal ofcost smallof business concerns formed or expanded with assistance under the Boots to Business Program;

``(iii) the grossnumber receipts of smallprogram businessparticipants concernsusing receivingeach assistancecomponent underof the Boots to Business Program;

``(iv) the numbercompletion ofrates jobsfor createdeach withcomponent assistanceof under the Boots to Business Program;

``(v) to the numberextent possible-- ``(I) the demographics of referralsprogram participants, to otherinclude resourcesgender, andage, programsrace, ofethnicity, theand Administration;relationship to military;

``(vi)``(II) the number of program participants receivingthat financialconnect assistancewith undera loandistrict programsoffice of the Administration, a Veteran Business Outreach Center, or another resource partner of the Administration;

``(vii)``(III) the typenumber and dollar amount of financial assistance received by program participants underthat anystart loana programsmall ofbusiness theconcern; Administration;

and``(IV) ``(viii)the results of participantthe satisfactionBoots surveys,to Business and Boots to Business Reboot course quality surveys conducted by the Office of Veterans Business Development before and after attending each of those courses, including a summary of any comments received from program participants;

``(F)``(V) an evaluation of the effectivenessresults of the Boots to Business Program inoutcome eachsurveys regionconducted ofby the AdministrationOffice duringof theVeterans mostBusiness recentDevelopment, fiscalincluding year;a summary of any comments received from program participants;

``(G)and an``(VI) assessment of additional performance outcome measures for the Bootsresults toof Businessother Program,germane asparticipant identifiedsatisfaction bysurveys; the Administrator;

``(H)``(C) anyan recommendationsevaluation of the Administratoroverall foreffectiveness improvement of the Boots to Business Program,Program whichbased mayon includeeach expansiongeographic ofregion covered by the typesAdministration ofduring individualsthe whomost arerecent coveredfiscal individuals;year;