US CODE: Title 15,633. Small Business Administration

§ 633. Small Business Administration

(a) Creation; principal, branch, and regional offices

In order to carry out the policies of this chapter there is created an agency under the name “Small Business Administration” (herein referred to as the Administration), which Administration shall be under the general direction and supervision of the President and shall not be affiliated with or be within any other agency or department of the Federal Government. The principal office of the Administration shall be located in the District of Columbia. The Administration may establish such branch and regional offices in other places in the United States as may be determined by the Administrator of the Administration. As used in this chapter, the term “United States” includes the several States, the Territories and possessions of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the District of Columbia.

(b) Appointment of Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and Associate Administrators; duties of Administrator: preparation of data base and publication of economic indices and annual report; risk management database; computer security and education program

(1) The management of the Administration shall be vested in an Administrator who shall be appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be a person of outstanding qualifications known to be familiar and sympathetic with small-business needs and problems. The Administrator shall not engage in any other business, vocation, or employment than that of serving as Administrator. In carrying out the programs administered by the Small Business Administration including its lending and guaranteeing functions, the Administrator shall not discriminate on the basis of sex or marital status against any person or small business concern applying for or receiving assistance from the Small Business Administration, and the Small Business Administration shall give special consideration to veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States and their survivors or dependents. The President also may appoint a Deputy Administrator, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Administrator is authorized to appoint five Associate Administrators (including the Associate Administrator specified in section 671 of this title) to assist in the execution of the functions vested in the Administration. One such Associate Administrator shall be the Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development, who shall administer the Office of Veterans Business Development established under section 657b of this title. One of the Associate Administrators shall be designated at the time of his appointment as the Associate Administrator for Minority Small Business and Capital Ownership Development who shall be an employee in the competitive service or in the Senior Executive Service and a career appointee and shall be responsible to the Administrator for the formulation and execution of the policies and programs under sections 636 (j) and 637 (a) of this title which provide assistance to minority small business concerns. The Deputy Administrator shall be Acting Administrator of the Administration during the absence or disability of the Administrator or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Administrator.

(2) The Administrator also shall be responsible for—

(A) establishing and maintaining an external small business economic data base for the purpose of providing the Congress and the Administration information on the economic condition and the expansion or contraction of the small business sector. To that end, the Administrator shall publish on a regular basis national small business economic indices and, to the extent feasible, regional small business economic indices, which shall include, but need not be limited to, data on—

(i) employment, layoffs, and new hires;

(ii) number of business establishments and the types of such establishments such as sole proprietorships, corporations, and partnerships;

(iii) number of business formations and failures;

(iv) sales and new orders;

(v) back orders;

(vi) investment in plant and equipment;

(vii) changes in inventory and rate of inventory turnover;

(viii) sources and amounts of capital investment, including debt, equity, and internally generated funds;

(ix) debt to equity ratios;

(x) exports;

(xi) number and dollar amount of mergers and acquisitions by size of acquiring and acquired firm; and

(xii) concentration ratios; and

(B) publishing annually a report giving a comparative analysis and interpretation of the historical trends of the small business sector as reflected by the data acquired pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subsection.

(3) Risk management database.—

(A) Establishment.— The Administration shall establish, within the management system for the loan programs authorized by subsections (a) and (b) of section 636 of this title and title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 [15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.], a management information system that will generate a database capable of providing timely and accurate information in order to identify loan underwriting, collections, recovery, and liquidation problems.

(B) Information to be maintained.— In addition to such other information as the Administration considers appropriate, the database established under subparagraph (A) shall, with respect to each loan program described in subparagraph (A), include information relating to—

(i) the identity of the institution making the guaranteed loan or issuing the debenture;

(ii) the identity of the borrower;

(iii) the total dollar amount of the loan or debenture;

(iv) the total dollar amount of government exposure in each loan;

(v) the district of the Administration in which the borrower has its principal office;

(vi) the principal line of business of the borrower, as identified by Standard Industrial Classification Code (or any successor to that system);

(vii) the delinquency rate for each program (including number of instances and days overdue);

(viii) the number and amount of repurchases, losses, and recoveries in each program;

(ix) the number of deferrals or forbearances in each program (including days and number of instances);

(x) comparisons on the basis of loan program, lender, Administration district and region, for all the data elements maintained; and

(xi) underwriting characteristics of each loan that has entered into default, including term, amount and type of collateral, loan-to-value and other actual and projected ratios, line of business, credit history, and type of loan.

(i) be operational not later than June 30, 1997; and

(ii) capture data beginning on the first day of the second quarter of fiscal year 1997 beginning after such date and thereafter.

(4)

(A) The Administrator shall establish a small business computer security and education program to—

(i) provide small business concerns information regarding—

(I) utilization and management of computer technology;

(II) computer crimes committed against small business concerns; and

(III) security for computers owned or utilized by small business concerns;

(ii) provide for periodic forums for small business concerns to improve their knowledge of the matters described in clause (i); and

(iii) provide training opportunities to educate small business users on computer security techniques.

(B) The Administrator, after consultation with the Director of the Institute of Computer Sciences and Technology within the Department of Commerce, shall develop information and materials to carry out the activities described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.

(c) Revolving funds; disaster loan fund; business loan and investment fund; payments into funds; appropriations; reports to Congress; business-type budgets; borrowing authority: terms and conditions of notes, interest rate, public debt transactions; payments into miscellaneous receipts; authorization of appropriations for losses and interest subsidies

(1) There are established in the Treasury the following revolving funds:

(A) a disaster loan fund which shall be available for financing functions performed under sections 634 (e), 636 (b)(1), 636 (b)(2), 636 (b)(3), 636 (b)(4), 636 (c)(2), and 636 (m) of this title; and

(B) a business loan and investment fund which shall be available for financing functions performed under sections 634 (g), 636 (a) and 637 (a) of this title, and titles III, IV and V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 [15 U.S.C. 681 et seq., 692 et seq., 695 et seq.].

(2) All repayments of loans and debentures, payments of interest and other receipts arising out of transactions heretofore or hereafter entered into by the Administration

(A) pursuant to sections 634 (e), 636 (b)(1), 636 (b)(2), 636 (b)(3), 636 (b)(4), 636 (b)(5), 636 (b)(6), 636 (b)(7), 636 (b)(8), 636 (c)(2), and 636 (g) of this title, shall be paid into a disaster loan fund; and

(B) pursuant to sections 634 (g), 636 (a), 636 (e),^[1] 636 (h), 636 (i), 636 (l),^[1] 636 (m), and 637 (a) of this title, and titles III, IV and V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 [15 U.S.C. 681 et seq., 692 et seq., 695 et seq.], shall be paid into the business loan and investment fund.

(3) Unexpended balances of appropriations made to the fund pursuant to this subsection, as in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this paragraph, shall be allocated, together with related assets and liabilities, to the funds established by paragraph (1) in such amounts as the Administrator shall determine.

(4) The Administration shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations, Senate Select Committee on Small Business, and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives, as soon as possible after the beginning of each calendar quarter, a full and complete report on the status of each of the funds established by paragraph (1). Business-type budgets for each of the funds established by paragraph (1) shall be prepared, transmitted to the Committees on Appropriations, the Senate Select Committee on Small Business, and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives, and considered, and enacted in the manner prescribed by law (sections 9103 and 9104 of title 31) for wholly owned Government corporations.

(5)

(A) The Administration is authorized to make and issue notes to the Secretary of the Treasury for the purpose of obtaining funds necessary for discharging obligations under the revolving funds created by paragraph (1) and for authorized expenditures out of the funds. Such notes shall be in such form and denominations and have such maturities and be subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Administration with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury. Such notes shall bear interest at a rate fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury, taking into consideration the current average market yield of outstanding marketable obligations of the United States having maturities comparable to the notes issued by the Administration under this paragraph. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to purchase any notes of the Administration issued hereunder, and, for that purpose, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to use as a public debt transaction the proceeds from the sale of any securities issued under chapter 31 of title 31, and the purposes for which such securities may be issued under such chapter are extended to include the purchase of notes issued by the Administration. All redemptions, purchases, and sales by the Secretary of the Treasury of such notes shall be treated as public debt transactions of the United States. All borrowing authority contained herein shall be effective only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.

(B)

(i) Moneys in the funds established in paragraph (1) not needed for current operations may be paid into miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury.

(ii) Following the close of each fiscal year, the Administration shall pay into the miscellaneous receipts of the United States Treasury the actual interest that the Administration collects during that fiscal year on all financings made under this chapter.

(C) Except on those loan disbursements on which interest is paid under paragraph (5)(B)(ii), the Administration shall pay into miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury, following the close of each fiscal year, interest received by the Administration on financing functions performed under this chapter and titles III and V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 [15 U.S.C. 681 et seq., 695 et seq.] providing the capital used to perform such functions originated from appropriated funds. Such payments shall be treated by the Department of the Treasury as interest income, not as retirement of indebtedness.

(D) There are authorized to be appropriated, in any fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary for losses and interest subsidies incurred by the funds established by paragraph (1), but not previously reimbursed.

(d) Creation and composition of Loan Policy Board; establishment of policies

There is created the Loan Policy Board of the Small Business Administration, which shall consist of the following members, all ex officio: The Administrator, as Chairman, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce. Either of the said Secretaries may designate an officer of his Department, who has been appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to act in his stead as a member of the Loan Policy Board with respect to any matter or matters. The Loan Policy Board shall establish general policies (particularly with reference to the public interest involved in the granting and denial of applications for financial assistance by the Administration and with reference to the coordination of the functions of the Administration with other activities and policies of the Government), which shall govern the granting and denial of applications for financial assistance by the Administration.

(e) Prohibition on provision of assistance

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administration is prohibited from providing any financial or other assistance to any business concern or other person engaged in the production or distribution of any product or service that has been determined to be obscene by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(f) Certification of compliance with child support obligations

(1) In general

For financial assistance approved after the promulgation of final regulations to implement this section, each recipient of financial assistance under this chapter, including a recipient of a direct loan or a loan guarantee, shall certify that the recipient is not more than 60 days delinquent under the terms of any—

(A) administrative order;

(B) court order; or

(C) repayment agreement entered into between the recipient and the custodial parent or State agency providing child support enforcement services,

that requires the recipient to pay child support, as such term is defined in section 662 (b) ^[1] of title 42.

(2) Enforcement

Not later than 6 months after October 22, 1994, the Administration shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to enforce compliance with the requirements of this subsection.

(g) Gifts

(1) In general

The Administrator may, for purposes of this chapter, the Small Business Investment Act of 1954,^[2] and title IV of the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988 [15 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.], solicit, accept, hold, administer, utilize, and dispose of gifts, devises, and bequests of cash, property (including tangible, intangible, real, and personal), subsistence, and services. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator may utilize gifts, devises, or bequests for marketing and outreach activities, including the cost of promotional materials and wearing apparel.

(2) Audits

Any gift, devise, or bequest of cash accepted by the Administrator shall be held in a separate account and shall be subject to semi-annual audits by the Inspector General of the Administration who shall report his findings to the Congress.

(3) Conflicts of interest

No gift, devise, or bequest shall be solicited or accepted under the authority of this subsection if such solicitation or acceptance would, in the determination of the General Counsel, create a conflict of interest.

(4) Acceptance of services and facilities for disaster loan program

The Administrator may accept the services and facilities of Federal, State, and local agencies and groups, both public and private, and utilize such gratuitous services and facilities as may, from time to time, be necessary, to further the objectives of section 636 (b) of this title.

(h) Co-sponsorship of events

(1) Authorization

The Administrator, after consultation with the General Counsel, may provide assistance for the benefit of small business through Administration-sponsored activities, through cosponsored activities with any eligible entity, or through such other activities that the Administrator determines to be appropriate, including recognition events.

(2) Eligible entity

For purposes of this subsection, the term “eligible entity” means any for-profit or not-for-profit entity, any Federal, State, or local government official, or any Federal, State, or local government entity.

(3) Prohibition on endorsements

The Administrator shall ensure that the Administration and any eligible entities that cosponsor activities receive appropriate recognition for such cosponsorship, and that such recognition does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the Administration of any product or service of such entity.

(4) Authority to charge fees

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator may charge a participant in any activity sponsored or cosponsored by the Administration a minimal fee, and retain and use such fee to cover the costs of such activity.

(5) Limited delegation

The Administrator may not delegate the authority described in this subsection except to the Deputy Administrator, an Associate Administrator, or an Assistant Administrator.

(6) Report to Congress

The Inspector General of the Administration shall report semi-annually to Congress on the Administrator’s use of authority under this subsection.

(7) Rulemaking

Not later than 180 days after December 8, 2004, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations to carry out the provisions of this subsection.

[1] See References in Text note below.

[2] So in original. Probably should be “1958,”.

Notes
No Update(s)
Parallel authorities (CFR)
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