Description:
H.R. 6445 would authorize the appropriation of $175 million for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025 for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program, administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The program awards grants to centers that counsel and train current and prospective small-business owners. In 2022, the SBA allocated $138 million for the SBDC program, which falls within the agency’s appropriation for entrepreneurial development programs. The authorization for fiscal year 2022 reflects the difference between the $175 million that would be authorized under H.R. 6445 and the $138 million allocated for the program. CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted near the end of 2022. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, and based on historical spending patterns, CBO estimates that implementing the program would cost $528 million over the 2022-2026 period and $34 million after 2026. The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 370 (commerce and housing credit).
