Sec. 856. Broadband and emerging information technology coordinator
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The Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended— by redesignating section 47 as section 48; and by inserting after section 46 the following: In this section— the term OII Associate Administrator means the Associate Administrator for the Office of Investment and Innovation; and the term broadband and emerging information technology coordinator means the employee designated to carry out the broadband and emerging information technology coordination responsibilities of the Administration under subsection (b)(1).
The OII Associate Administrator shall designate a senior employee of the Office of Investment and Innovation to serve as the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator, who— shall report to the OII Associate Administrator; shall work in coordination with— the chief information officer, the chief technology officer, and the head of the Office of Technology of the Administration; and any other Associate Administrator of the Administration determined appropriate by the OII Associate Administrator; has experience developing and implementing telecommunications policy in the private sector or government; and has demonstrated significant experience in the area of broadband or emerging information technology.
The broadband and emerging information technology coordinator shall— coordinate programs of the Administration that assist small business concerns in adopting, making innovations in, and using broadband and other emerging information technologies; serve as the primary liaison of the Administration to other Federal agencies involved in broadband and emerging information technology policy, including the Department of Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, and the Federal Communications Commission; identify best practices relating to broadband and emerging information technology that may benefit small business concerns; and identify and catalog tools and training available through the resource partners of the Administration that assist small business concerns in adopting, making innovations in, and using broadband and emerging technologies.
Not more than 20 percent of the hours of service by the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator during any fiscal year shall consist of travel outside the United States to perform official duties. The OII Associate Administrator shall provide to employees of the Administration training that— familiarizes employees of the Administration with broadband and other emerging information technologies; includes— instruction on counseling small business concerns regarding adopting, making innovations in, and using broadband and other emerging information technologies; and information on programs of the Federal Government that provide assistance to small business concerns relating to broadband and emerging information technologies; and to maximum extent practicable, uses the tools and training cataloged and identified under subsection (b)(2)(D).
The Administrator shall use funds made available to the Office of Investment and Innovation to carry out this subsection. Not later than 2 years after the date on which the OII Associate Administrator makes the first designation of an employee under subsection (b), and every 2 years thereafter, the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator 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 regarding the programs and activities of the Administration relating to broadband and other emerging information technologies.
Subject to appropriations, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall conduct a study evaluating the impact of broadband speed and price on small business concerns. Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the Small Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Enhancement Act of 2017 , the Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report on the results of the study under subparagraph (A), including— a survey of broadband speeds available to small business concerns; a survey of the cost of broadband speeds available to small business concerns; a survey of the type of broadband technology used by small business concerns; and any policy recommendations that may improve the access of small business concerns to comparable broadband services at comparable rates in all regions of the United States. .
Section 21(c)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)(B) ) is amended— in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting accessing broadband and other emerging information technology, after technology transfer, ; in clause (ii), by striking and at the end; in clause (iii), by adding and at the end; and by adding at the end the following: increasing the competitiveness and productivity of small business concerns by assisting owners of such concerns in accessing broadband and other emerging information technology; .
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