Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 3.djvu/549

 PUBLIC LAW 105-135—DEC. 2, 1997 111 STAT. 2637 relevant offices within the Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) CONDUCT OF STUDY.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator— (1) may conduct surveys of small business concerns owned and controlled by eligible veterans and service disabled veterans, including those who have sought financial assistance or other services from the Administration; (2) shall consult with the appropriate committees of Congress, relevant groups and organizations in the nonprofit sector, and Federal or State government agencies; and (3) shall have access to any information within other Federal agencies that pertains to such veterans and their small businesses, unless such access is specifically prohibited by law. SEC. 704. INFORMATION COLLECTION. 15 USC 631 note. After the date of issuance of the report required by section 703(a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training and the Administrator, engage in efforts each fiscal year to identify small business concerns owned and controlled by eligible veterans in the United States. The Secretary shall inform each small business concern identified under this section that information on Federal procurement is available from the Administrator. SEC. 705. STATE OF SMALL BUSINESS REPORT. Section 303(b) of the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 631b(b)) is amended by striking "and female-owned businesses" and inserting ", female-owned, and veteran-owned businesses". SEC. 706. LOANS TO VETERANS. Section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (7) the following: "(8) The Administration may make loans under this subsection to small business concerns owned and controlled by disabled veterans (as defined in section 4211(3) of title 38, United States Code).". SEC. 707. ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING, COUNSELING, AND MANAGE- 15 USC 631 note. MENT ASSISTANCE. The Administrator shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that small business concerns owned and controlled by eligible veterans have access to programs established under the Small Business Act that provide entrepreneurial training, business development assistance, counseling, and management assistance to small business concerns, including, among others, the Small Business Development Center program and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) program. SEC. 708. GRANTS FOR ELIGIBLE VETERANS* OUTREACH PROGRAMS. Section 8(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (15), by striking "and" at the end; (2) in the first paragraph designated as paragraph (16), by striking the period at the end and inserting "; and"; and (3) by striking the second paragraph designated as paragraph (16) and inserting the following:

�