15 U.S.C. § 652 — Central European Enterprise Development

Page 1035 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 652 1 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘enter into’’. Puerto Rico on the basis of the population in each area as compared to the total population in all areas as provided by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce in the annual pop- ulation estimate or the decennial census, which- ever is most current. The Administrator may give a priority in awarding the remaining one- half of appropriated amounts to applicants who agree to contribute more than the requisite 25 per centum, and shall give priority to a proposal to restore an area determined to be a major dis- aster by the President on a date not more than three years prior to the fiscal year for which the application is made. (b) Establishment by Administrator In order to accomplish the objectives of this section, the Administrator, in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, shall be respon- sible for formulating a national small business tree planting program. Based on this program, a State may submit a detailed proposal for tree planting by contract. (c) Utilization of small business concerns in im- plementing program To encourage and develop the capacity of small business concerns, to utilize this impor- tant segment of our economy, and to permit rapid increases in employment opportunities in local communities, grantees are directed to uti- lize small business contractors or concerns in connection with the program established by this section, and shall, to the extent practicable, di- vide the project to allow more than one small business concern to perform the work under the project. (d) Cooperation of Federal agencies; technical services For purposes of this section, agencies of the Federal Government are hereby authorized to cooperate with all grantees and with State for- esters or other appropriate officials by providing without charge, in furtherance of this program, technical services with respect to the planting and growing of such trees. (e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the objectives of this section, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1991 and $30,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1997, and all of such sums may remain available until ex- pended. (f) Rules and regulations Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regu- lation, the administration shall publish in the Federal Register proposed rules and regulations implementing this section within sixty days after November 5, 1990, and shall publish final rules and regulations within one hundred and twenty days of November 5, 1990. (g) Definitions As used in this section: (1) the term ‘‘local government’’ includes po- litical subdivisions of a State such as coun- ties, parishes, cities, towns and municipali- ties; (2) the term ‘‘planting’’ includes watering, application of fertilizer and herbicides, prun- ing and shaping, and other subsequent care and maintenance for a period of three years after the trees are planted; and (3) the term ‘‘State’’ includes any agency thereof. (h) Annual report to President and Congress The Administrator shall submit annually to the President and the Congress a report on ac- tivities within the scope of this section. (Pub. L. 85–536, § 2[24], as added Pub. L. 101–515, title V, § 4, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2140; amended Pub. L. 103–211, title I, § 201, Feb. 12, 1994, 108 Stat. 5; Pub. L. 103–317, title IV, Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1755.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 651, act July 30, 1953, ch. 282, § 225, as added Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 628, § 14, 69 Stat. 551, prohibited duplication of activities, and was omitted as super- seded by section 647 of this title. See Codification note set out under section 631 of this title. AMENDMENTS 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–211 inserted at end ‘‘, and shall give priority to a proposal to restore an area determined to be a major disaster by the President on a date not more than three years prior to the fiscal year for which the application is made’’. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–317 substituted ‘‘fiscal years 1995 through 1997’’ for ‘‘fiscal years 1992 through 1994’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TERMINATION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsec. (h) of this section relating to submitting an- nual report to Congress, see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and page 191 of House Document No. 103–7. § 652. Central European Enterprise Development Commission (a) Establishment There is hereby established a Central Euro- pean Small Business Enterprise Development Commission (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). The Commission shall be comprised of a representative of each of the following: the Small Business Administration, the Association of American Universities, and the Association of Small Business Development Centers. (b) Management and technical assistance to des- ignated Central European countries The Commission shall develop in Czecho- slovakia, Poland and Hungary (hereinafter re- ferred to as ‘‘designated Central European coun- tries’’) a self-sustaining system to provide man- agement and technical assistance to small busi- ness owners. (1) Not later than 90 days after November 5, 1990, the Commission, in consultation with the Agency for International Development, shall enter 1 a contract with one or more entities to— (A) determine the needs of small busi- nesses in the designated Central European Page 1036 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 653 countries for management and technical as- sistance; (B) evaluate appropriate Small Business Development Center-programs which might be replicated in order to meet the needs of each of such countries; and (C) identify and assess the capability of educational institutions in each such coun- try to develop a Small Business Develop- ment Center type program. (2) Not later than 18 months after November 5, 1990, the Commission shall review the rec- ommendations submitted to it and shall for- mulate and contract for the establishment of a three-year management and technical assist- ance demonstration program. (c) Eligibility In order to be eligible to participate, the edu- cational institution in each designated Central European country shall— (1) obtain the prior approval of the govern- ment to conduct the program; (2) agree to provide partial financial support for the program, either directly or indirectly, during the second and third years of the dem- onstration program; and (3) agree to obtain private sector involve- ment in the delivery of assistance under the program. (d) Initial meeting and organization The Commission shall meet and organize not later than 30 days after November 5, 1990. (e) Reimbursement for necessary expenses Members of the Commission shall serve with- out pay, except they shall be entitled to reim- bursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in carrying out their functions in the same manner as per- sons employed intermittently in the Federal Government are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5. (f) Meetings; quorum Two Commissioners shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Meetings shall be at the call of the Chairperson who shall be elected by the Members of the Commission. (g) Authority; personnel The Commission shall not have any authority to appoint staff, but upon request of the Chair- person, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such department or agency to the Commission to assist in carrying out the Commission’s functions under this section with- out regard to section 3341 of title 5. The Admin- istrator of the General Services Administration shall provide, on a reimbursable basis, such ad- ministrative support services as the Commission may request. (h) Initial and annual reports to Congress The Commission shall report to Congress not later than December 1, 1991, and annually there- after, on the progress in carrying out the provi- sions of this section. (i) Authorization of appropriations There are hereby authorized to be appro- priated to the Small Business Administration the sum of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 and 1994, and $1,000,000 for fis- cal year 1995 to carry out the provisions of this section. Such sums shall be disbursed by the Small Business Administration as requested by the Commission and may remain available until expended. Any authority to enter contracts or other spending authority provided for in this section is subject to amounts provided for in ad- vance in appropriations Acts. (Pub. L. 85–536, § 2[25], as added Pub. L. 101–515, title V, § 7, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2142; amended Pub. L. 103–81, § 9(b), Aug. 13, 1993, 107 Stat. 783; Pub. L. 103–403, title IV, § 405, Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4192.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Pub. L. 103–403 substituted ‘‘, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 and 1994, and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1995’’ for ‘‘and $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 and 1994’’. 1993—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 103–81 substituted ‘‘$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 and 1994’’ for ‘‘$8,000,000 for fiscal year 1993’’. § 653. Office of Rural Affairs (a) Establishment There is hereby established in the Small Busi- ness Administration an Office of Rural Affairs (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘Of- fice’’). (b) Appointment of director The Office shall be headed by a director who shall be appointed by the Administrator not later than 90 days after November 15, 1990. (c) Functions The Office shall— (1) strive to achieve an equitable distribu- tion of the financial assistance available from the Administration for small business con- cerns located in rural areas; (2) to the extent practicable, compile annual statistics on rural areas, including statistics concerning the population, poverty, job cre- ation and retention, unemployment, business failures, and business startups; (3) provide information to industries, organi- zations, and State and local governments con- cerning the assistance available to rural small business concerns through the Administration and through other Federal departments and agencies; (4) provide information to industries, organi- zations, educational institutions, and State and local governments concerning programs administered by private organizations, edu- cational institutions, and Federal, State, and local governments which improve the eco- nomic opportunities of rural citizens; and (5) work with the United States Tourism and Travel Administration to assist small busi- nesses in rural areas with tourism promotion and development. (Pub. L. 85–536, § 2[26], as added Pub. L. 101–574, title III, § 302, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2827.)