PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 22, 2017
Women's Business Centers Improvements Act of 2017
The bill revises the duties of the Office of Women's Business Ownership and declares it is the Office's mission to assist women entrepreneurs to start, grow, and compete in global markets by providing quality support with access to capital, access to markets, job creation, growth, and counseling.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) shall establish standards for a program to accredit eligible entities receiving a grant to operate one or more women's business centers.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
These organizations shall be eligible to apply for such a grant:
a tax-exempt charitable organization;
a state, regional, or local economic development organization;
an institution of higher education;
a state-chartered development, credit, or finance corporation; or
any combination of these.
Failure to obtain non-federal funding must be for two consecutive years before an eligible entity shall become ineligible for advance disbursements, or for any other SBA-funded project.
An SBA employee shall:
make a prior site visit to any grant applicant to ensure that the applicant has sufficient resources to provide the services for which the grant is being made; and
conduct an annual review of the entity's compliance with the grant agreement, including a financial examination.
An eligible entity whose review identifies problems shall develop a remedial plan of action for the Office to approve or amend, subject to appeal. The Office shall terminate any grant for failure of compliance with a plan of action.
Upon request by an eligible entity, the SBA may waive, in whole or in part, although not for more than two years, the requirement to obtain non-federal funds for a grant recipient's counseling and training activities.
People & committees
Rep. Knight, Stephen [R-CA-25] · R–CA
Legislative record
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Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3802-3805)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H3802-3805)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1680.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3801-3806)
Mr. Chabot moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.1680 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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