U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC), today announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017 will include a five-year reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The SBIR and STTR programs ensure that small businesses are able to compete for research and development contracts from various federal agencies, including the Department of Defense.

“Reauthorizing the successful SBIR and STTR programs has been a top priority, and I’m really pleased to announce that the NDAA will include language to reauthorize both for five years,” said Vitter. “These two programs help to level the playing field for small businesses and are directly responsible for creating thousands of new jobs in every corner of the country. I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues, including Senator McCain, on the conference committee for providing long-term certainty for our nation’s entrepreneurs and job creators.”

As Chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, Vitter has prioritized the reauthorization of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) SBIR/STTR programs, which are set to expire in September 2017. Two of SBA’s most successful and productive programs, SBIR and STTR partner small business and federal agencies to meet research and development goals in the technology sector through administering competitive contract awards to small technology firms. The SBIR/STTR programs have helped to create thousands of new jobs by fostering innovation and stimulating the economy through public-private partnerships. Click here to read more.

In January, Vitter chaired a Senate Small Business Committee hearing on the importance of reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs. Earlier this year, Vitter and SBC Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2016, which was passed out of Committee in May.

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