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Read. Follow. Verify.Review of the SBA State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
Record date · January 1, 2019
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What This Bill Does
A House Subcommittee held a hearing to evaluate the effectiveness and management of the State Trade Expansion Program (), which provides federal to help small businesses export goods. The hearing focused on program performance, return on investment, and audit findings from the GAO and SBA Inspector General regarding program oversight.
The program is authorized to receive $30 million in annual funding through 2020 to help small businesses access international markets, and this hearing initiates the oversight process for its upcoming .
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Small Business Owners
Small businesses may receive export assistance and matching funds through state-administered STEP grants.
State Governments
States receive federal matching funds to manage export assistance programs for local businesses.
Small Business Administration
The agency is responsible for managing the program and ensuring state compliance with federal requirements.
Key Facts
- The STEP program provides matching funds to states and territories to assist small businesses with export financing, trade missions, and entering new markets.
- The program was created in 2010 as a pilot and made permanent by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act.
- Congress authorized $30 million in annual funding for the program through fiscal year 2020.
- The SBA has awarded approximately $139 million in total funding to states since the program began.
Show all 9 facts
- In fiscal year 2016, the SBA awarded 44 grants totaling $18.9 million.
- States reported a return on investment of $31 in sales for every $1 of STEP funding invested.
- Only 1% of the nation's 30 million small businesses currently export products overseas.
- The GAO identified concerns regarding the SBA's process for ensuring state compliance with program requirements.
- The hearing was held on March 12, 2019, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition from Pilot to Permanent
The STEP program began as a 3-year pilot in 2010 and was later codified as a permanent program, indicating a shift toward long-term federal support for state-led export initiatives.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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