H.R. 8708

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8708 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8708

To direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and 
the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency to 
direct small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers to 
collaborate to better serve small business concerns, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 7, 2026

Ms. Scholten (for herself and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in 
addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and 
the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency to 
direct small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers to 
collaborate to better serve small business concerns, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Main Street Business Resource 
Integration and Development for Growth and Equity Act'' or ``Main 
Street BRIDGE Act''.

SEC. 2. COLLABORATION BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND 
MBDA BUSINESS CENTERS.

(a) Collaboration Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary, acting 
through the Director, shall direct small business development centers 
and MBDA Business Centers, respectively, to collaborate to better serve 
small business concerns.
(b) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator and the Director shall jointly submit to 
Congress a report that includes the following:
(1) A summary of the results of the collaboration required 
under subsection (a).
(2) A description of the challenges faced by small business 
development centers and MBDA Business Centers in carrying out 
the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(3) The number of consultations, educational activities, 
and outreach activities performed by small business development 
centers and MBDA Business Centers in connection with the 
collaboration required under subsection (a).
(4) The number of small business concerns served as a 
result of the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(5) The number of new small business concerns started as a 
result of the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(6) The number of new jobs created and existing jobs 
supported, in small business concerns, as a result of the 
collaboration required under subsection (a).
(7) The dollar amount of financial assistance provided to 
small business concerns as a result of assistance received from 
small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers in 
connection with the collaboration required under subsection 
(a).
(8) Any recommendations for enhancing collaboration between 
small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the National 
Director of the Minority Business Development Agency.
(3) MBDA business center.--The term ``MBDA Business 
Center'' has the meaning given that term in section 100002(7) 
of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 
9501(7)).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Commerce.
(5) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
concern'' has the meaning given the term under section 3 of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
(6) Small business development center.--The term ``small 
business development center'' has the meaning given that term 
in section 3(t) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(t)).
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