Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§7106 Duties of the Council

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 97— - WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT › § 7106

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Council must advise and work with the Interagency Committee about its work, functions, and policies. The two groups must meet together when their chairpersons agree, and at least twice a year. The Council can meet on its own when needed. More than half the Council members must be present to approve any recommendations or reports. The Council must make yearly recommendations to the Interagency Committee and can also send reports or recommendations to the President, to the Administrator (through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership), and to the Senate and House Committees on Small Business. The Council must review, coordinate, and track public and private plans that affect women-owned businesses’ access to capital and credit; promote a women’s business census and other surveys; watch and support federal programs that help women’s businesses grow; create new initiatives and policies to help women entrepreneurs; and help design a joint public-private plan to support women’s businesses. Within 90 days after each fiscal year ends, the Council must send a report to the President and the congressional small business committees that describes its activities, progress, findings, conclusions, and recommended laws or administrative actions. The parts of that report that describe activities, findings, and recommendations must be included word-for-word, along with any additional or opposing views from the Administrator.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §7106

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Council shall advise and consult with the Interagency Committee on matters relating to the activities, functions, and policies of the Interagency Committee, as provided in this chapter. The Council shall meet jointly with the Interagency Committee at the discretion of the chairperson of the Council and the chairperson of the Interagency Committee, but not less than biannually.
(b)The Council shall meet separately at such times as the Council deems necessary. A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the approval of recommendations or reports issued pursuant to this section.
(c)The Council shall make annual recommendations for consideration by the Interagency Committee. The Council shall also provide reports and make such other recommendations as it deems appropriate to the Interagency Committee, to the President, to the Administrator (through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership), and to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(d)The Council shall—
(1)review, coordinate, and monitor plans and programs developed in the public and private sectors, which affect the ability of women-owned business enterprises to obtain capital and credit;
(2)promote and assist in the development of a women’s business census and other surveys of women-owned businesses;
(3)monitor and promote the plans, programs, and operations of the departments and agencies of the Federal Government which may contribute to the establishment and growth of women’s business enterprise;
(4)develop and promote new initiatives, policies, programs, and plans designed to foster women’s business enterprise;
(5)advise and consult with the Interagency Committee in the design of a comprehensive plan for a joint public-private sector effort to facilitate growth and development of women’s business enterprise; 11 So in original. Semicolon probably should be followed by “and”.
(6)not later than 90 days after the last day of each fiscal year, submit to the President and to the Committee on Small Business of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives, a report containing—
(A)a detailed description of the activities of the council,22 So in original. Probably should be capitalized. including a status report on the Council’s progress toward meeting its duties outlined in subsections (a) and (d) of this section;
(B)the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Council; and
(C)the Council’s recommendations for such legislation and administrative actions as the Council considers appropriate to promote the development of small business concerns owned and controlled by women.
(e)The information included in each report under subsection (d) that is described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection (d)(6), shall be reported verbatim, together with any separate additional, concurring, or dissenting views of the Administrator.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 406 of Pub. L. 100–533, title IV, Oct. 25, 1988, 102 Stat. 2696, related to requirement of reports to the President and Congress by the National Women’s Business Council, prior to the general amendment of title IV of Pub. L. 100–533 by Pub. L. 103–403.

Amendments

1997—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–135, § 303(1), inserted “(through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership)” after “Administrator”. Subsec. (d)(6). Pub. L. 105–135, § 303(2), added par. (6). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–135, § 303(2), added subsec. (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Small Business of Senate changed to Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of Senate. See Senate Resolution No. 123, One Hundred Seventh Congress, June 29, 2001.

Effective Date

of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–135 effective Oct. 1, 1997, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–135, set out as a note under section 631 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 7106

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73