U.S. Code > Title 15 Commerce and Trade > CHAPTER 14A—AID TO SMALL BUSINESS (§§ 631—657p) > § 657b. Veterans programs

§ 657b. Veterans programs

(a) Office of Veterans Business Development
There is established in the Administration an Office of Veterans Business Development, which shall be administered by the Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development (in this section referred to as the “Associate Administrator”) appointed under section 633 (b)(1) of this title.
(b) Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development
The Associate Administrator—
(1) shall be an appointee in the Senior Executive Service;
(2) shall be responsible for the formulation, execution, and promotion of policies and programs of the Administration that provide assistance to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans. The Associate Administrator shall act as an ombudsman for full consideration of veterans in all programs of the Administration; and
(3) shall report to and be responsible directly to the Administrator.
(c) Interagency task force
(1) Establishment
Not later than 90 days after February 14, 2008, the President shall establish an interagency task force to coordinate the efforts of Federal agencies necessary to improve capital and business development opportunities for, and ensure achievement of the pre-established Federal contracting goals for, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans (in this section referred to as the “task force”).
(2) Membership
The members of the task force shall include—
(A) the Administrator, who shall serve as chairperson of the task force; and
(B) a senior level representative from—
(i) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(ii) the Department of Defense;
(iii) the Administration (in addition to the Administrator);
(iv) the Department of Labor;
(v) the Department of the Treasury;
(vi) the General Services Administration;
(vii) the Office of Management and Budget; and
(viii) 4 representatives from a veterans service organization or military organization or association, selected by the President.
(3) Duties
The task force shall—
(A) consult regularly with veterans service organizations and military organizations in performing the duties of the task force; and
(B) coordinate administrative and regulatory activities and develop proposals relating to—
(i) improving capital access and capacity of small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans through loans, surety bonding, and franchising;
(ii) ensuring achievement of the pre-established Federal contracting goals for small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans through expanded mentor-protege assistance and matching such small business concerns with contracting opportunities;
(iii) increasing the integrity of certifications of status as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans or a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans;
(iv) reducing paperwork and administrative burdens on veterans in accessing business development and entrepreneurship opportunities;
(v) increasing and improving training and counseling services provided to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans; and
(vi) making other improvements relating to the support for veterans business development by the Federal Government.
(d) Participation in TAP Workshops
(1) In general
The Associate Administrator shall increase veteran outreach by ensuring that Veteran Business Outreach Centers regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the workshops of the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Labor.
(2) Presentations
In carrying out paragraph (1), a Veteran Business Outreach Center may provide grants to entities located in Transition Assistance Program locations to make presentations on the opportunities available from the Administration for recently separating or separated veterans. Each presentation under this paragraph shall include, at a minimum, a description of the entrepreneurial and business training resources available from the Administration.
(3) Written materials
The Associate Administrator shall—
(A) create written materials that provide comprehensive information on self-employment and veterans entrepreneurship, including information on resources available from the Administration on such topics; and
(B) make the materials created under subparagraph (A) available to the Secretary of Labor for inclusion in the Transition Assistance Program manual.
(4) Reports
The Associate Administrator shall submit to Congress progress reports on the implementation of this subsection.
(e) Women veterans business training
The Associate Administrator shall—
(1) compile information on existing resources available to women veterans for business training, including resources for—
(A) vocational and technical education;
(B) general business skills, such as marketing and accounting; and
(C) business assistance programs targeted to women veterans; and
(2) disseminate the information compiled under paragraph (1) through Veteran Business Outreach Centers and women’s business centers.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—
(1) $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2005; and
(2) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.