TITLE 15 - US CODE - CHAPTER 97 - WOMENS BUSINESS ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

15 USC 7101 - Establishment of the Interagency Committee

There is established an interagency committee to be known as the Interagency Committee on Womens Business Enterprise.

15 USC 7102 - Duties of the Interagency Committee

(a) In general
The Interagency Committee shall

(1) monitor, coordinate, and promote the plans, programs, and operations of the departments and agencies of the Federal Government that may contribute to the establishment and growth of womens business enterprise;

(2) develop and promote new public sector initiatives, policies, programs, and plans designed to foster womens business enterprise;

(3) review, monitor, and coordinate plans and programs, developed in the public sector, which affect the ability of women-owned businesses to obtain capital and credit;

(4) promote and assist, as appropriate, in the development of surveys of women-owned business; and

(5) design a comprehensive plan for a joint public-private sector effort to facilitate growth and development of womens business enterprise, which plan shall, not later than 1 year after October 22, 1994, be submitted to the President for review.

(b) Meetings
The Interagency Committee shall meet not less than biannually at such times as the Interagency Committee determines to be necessary to perform the duties under subsection (a) of this section. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the approval of recommendations or reports issued pursuant to this section.

(c) Interaction with Council
In performing its duties under subsection (a) of this section, the Interagency Committee shall consult with the Council. The Interagency Committee may meet jointly with the Council at the discretion of the chairperson of the Interagency Committee and the chairperson of the Council, but not less frequently than twice annually. The chairperson of the Interagency Committee shall serve as chairperson of any joint meetings of the Interagency Committee and the Council.

15 USC 7103 - Membership of the Interagency Committee

(a) In general

(1) Participants
The Interagency Committee shall be composed of 1 representative from each of the following:

(A) The Department of Commerce.

(B) The Department of Defense.

(D) The Department of Labor.

(E) The Small Business Administration.

(F) The Department of Transportation.

(G) The Department of the Treasury.

(H) The General Services Administration.

(I) The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.

(J) The Executive staff of the President engaged in policymaking activities.

(2) Appointments

(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the head of each department and agency listed in paragraph (1) shall, not later than 45 days after December 2, 1997, designate a representative who shall be a policymaking official within the department or agency, and who shall report directly to the head of the agency on the status of the activities of the Interagency Committee.

(B) Small Business Administration
With respect to the Small Business Administration, the representative shall be the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Womens Business Ownership, who also shall serve as the vice chairperson of the Interagency Committee and shall report directly to the Administrator on the status of the activities on the Interagency Committee and shall serve as the Interagency Committee Liaison to the National Womens Business Council established under section 7105 of this title.

(3) Other participation
Other representatives of the Federal Government not listed in paragraph (1) may participate in the meetings and functions of the Interagency Committee on a temporary basis as needed to carry out specific Interagency Committee goals.

(b) Appointment of chairperson
Not later than 45 days after December 2, 1997, the President, in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, shall appoint 1 of the members of the Interagency Committee to serve as chairperson.

(d) Detail of Federal employees
Upon request by the chairperson of the Interagency Committee, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail any of the personnel of such agency to assist the Interagency Committee in carrying out its duties under this chapter without regard to section 3341 of title 5.

15 USC 7104 - Reports from the Interagency Committee

Not later than September 30, 1995, and annually thereafter, the Interagency Committee shall transmit, through the Small Business Administration, to the President and to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and the House of Representatives, a report containing

(1) a detailed description of the activities of the Interagency Committee, including a verbatim report on the status of progress of the Interagency Committee in meeting its responsibilities and duties under section 7102 (a) of this title;

(2) the findings and conclusions of the Interagency Committee; and

(3) the Interagency Committees recommendations for such legislation and administrative actions as the Interagency Committee considers appropriate to promote the development of small business concerns owned and controlled by women.

15 USC 7105 - Establishment of the National Womens Business Council

There is established a council to be known as the National Womens Business Council, which shall serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the Interagency Committee, to the Administrator through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Womens Business Ownership, to the Congress, and to the President.

15 USC 7106 - Duties of the Council

(a) In general
The Council shall advise and consult with the Interagency Committee on matters relating to the activities, functions, and policies of the Interagency Committee, as provided in this chapter. The Council shall meet jointly with the Interagency Committee at the discretion of the chairperson of the Council and the chairperson of the Interagency Committee, but not less than biannually.

(b) Meetings
The Council shall meet separately at such times as the Council deems necessary. A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the approval of recommendations or reports issued pursuant to this section.

(c) Recommendations
The Council shall make annual recommendations for consideration by the Interagency Committee. The Council shall also provide reports and make such other recommendations as it deems appropriate to the Interagency Committee, to the President, to the Administrator (through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Womens Business Ownership), and to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(d) Other duties
The Council shall

(1) review, coordinate, and monitor plans and programs developed in the public and private sectors, which affect the ability of women-owned business enterprises to obtain capital and credit;

(2) promote and assist in the development of a womens business census and other surveys of women-owned businesses;

(3) monitor and promote the plans, programs, and operations of the departments and agencies of the Federal Government which may contribute to the establishment and growth of womens business enterprise;

(4) develop and promote new initiatives, policies, programs, and plans designed to foster womens business enterprise;

(5) advise and consult with the Interagency Committee in the design of a comprehensive plan for a joint public-private sector effort to facilitate growth and development of womens business enterprise;^[1]

(6) not later than 90 days after the last day of each fiscal year, submit to the President and to the Committee on Small Business of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives, a report containing

(A) a detailed description of the activities of the council,^[2] including a status report on the Councils progress toward meeting its duties outlined in subsections (a) and (d) of this section;

(B) the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Council; and

(C) the Councils recommendations for such legislation and administrative actions as the Council considers appropriate to promote the development of small business concerns owned and controlled by women.

(e) Form of transmittal
The information included in each report under subsection (d) of this section that is described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection (d)(6) of this section, shall be reported verbatim, together with any separate additional, concurring, or dissenting views of the Administrator.

[1] So in original. Semicolon probably should be followed by “and”.
[2] So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

15 USC 7107 - Membership of the Council

(a) Chairperson
The President shall appoint an individual to serve as chairperson of the Council, in consultation with the Administrator. The chairperson of the Council shall be a prominent business woman who is qualified to head the Council by virtue of her education, training, and experience.

(b) Other members
The Administrator shall, after receiving the recommendations of the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Committees on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Senate, appoint, in consultation with the chairperson of the Council appointed under subsection (a) of this section, 14 members of the Council, of whom

(1) 4 shall be

(A) owners of small businesses, as such term is defined in section 632 of this title; and

(B) members of the same political party as the President;

(2) 4 shall

(A) be owners of small businesses, as such term is defined in section 632 of this title; and

(B) not be members of the same political party as the President; and

(3) 6 shall be representatives of womens business organizations, including representatives of womens business center sites.

(c) Diversity
In appointing members of the Council, the Administrator shall, to the extent possible, ensure that the members appointed reflect geographic (including both urban and rural areas), racial, economic, and sectoral diversity.

(d) Terms
Each member of the Council shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.

(e) Other Federal service
If any member of the Council subsequently becomes an officer or employee of the Federal Government or of the Congress, such individual may continue as a member of the Council for not longer than the 30-day period beginning on the date on which such individual becomes such an officer or employee.

(f) Vacancies

(1) In general
A vacancy on the Council shall be filled not later than 30 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs, in the manner in which the original appointment was made, and shall be subject to any conditions that applied to the original appointment.

(2) Unexpired term
An individual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the unexpired term of the member replaced.

(g) Reimbursements
Members of the Council shall serve without pay for such membership, except that members shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in carrying out the functions of the Council, in the same manner as persons serving on advisory boards pursuant to section 637 (b) of this title.

(h) Executive director
The Administrator, in consultation with the chairperson of the Council, shall appoint an executive director of the Council. Upon the recommendation by the executive director, the chairperson of the Council may appoint and fix the pay of 4 additional employees of the Council, at a rate of pay not to exceed the maximum rate of pay payable for a position at GS15 of the General Schedule. All such appointments shall be subject to the appropriation of funds.

(i) Rates of pay
The executive director and staff of the Council may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the executive director may not receive pay in excess of the annual rate of basic pay payable for a position at ES3 of the Senior Executive Pay Schedule under section 58321 of title 5.

[1] So in original. Probably should be section “5382”.

15 USC 7108 - Definitions

For purposes of this chapter

(1) the term Administration means the Small Business Administration;

(2) the term Administrator means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;

(3) the term control means exercising the power to make policy decisions concerning a business;

(4) the term Council means the National Womens Business Council, established under section 7105 of this title;

(5) the term Interagency Committee means the Interagency Committee on Womens Business Enterprise, established under section 7101 of this title;

(6) the term operate means being actively involved in the day-to-day management of a business;

(7) the term womens business enterprise means

(A) a business or businesses owned by a woman or a group of women; or

(B) the establishment, maintenance, or development of a business or businesses by a woman or a group of women; and

(8) the term women-owned business means a small business which a woman or a group of women

(A) control and operate; and

(B) own not less than 51 percent of the business.

15 USC 7109 - Studies and other research

(a) In general
The Council may conduct such studies and other research relating to the award of Federal prime contracts and subcontracts to women-owned businesses, to access to credit and investment capital by women entrepreneurs, or to other issues relating to women-owned businesses, as the Council determines to be appropriate.

(b) Contract authority
In conducting any study or other research under this section, the Council may contract with one or more public or private entities.

15 USC 7110 - Authorization of appropriations

(a) In general
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this chapter $1,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2003, of which $550,000 shall be available in each such fiscal year to carry out section 7109 of this title.

(b) Budget review
No amount made available under this section for any fiscal year may be obligated or expended by the Council before the date on which the Council reviews and approves the operating budget of the Council to carry out the responsibilities of the Council for that fiscal year.