119-s2456

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2456 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2456

 To establish rural export centers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 24, 2025

 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Hoeven, Ms. Smith, and Mr. Cramer) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
 Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish rural export centers, 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 ``Promoting Rural Exports Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) Rural businesses are often located far from information 
 clusters and major transportation corridors.

    (2) Because of their location, rural businesses face higher 
 barriers to accessing international markets.

    (3) A dedicated National Rural Export Center within the 
 United States and Foreign Commercial Service, and regional 
 rural export centers, providing business- and product-specific 
 support can help companies in the United States looking to 
 export their products.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF RURAL EXPORT CENTERS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
 means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General 
 of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service appointed 
 pursuant to 

section 2301

    (a)

    (2) of the Export Enhancement Act of 
 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721

    (a)

    (2) ).

    (2) Commercial service.--The term ``Commercial Service'' 
 means the United States and Foreign Commercial Service 
 established under 

section 2301

    (a)

    (1) of the Export Enhancement 
 Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721

    (a)

    (1) ).

    (b) Establishment of the National Rural Export Center.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall 
 establish a National Rural Export Center for the purpose of 
 providing businesses located in rural areas in the United 
 States with resources to help those businesses export their 
 products.

    (2) Location of the national rural export center.--
        (A) In general.--The National Rural Export Center 
 shall be established at an office of the Commercial 
 Service in the United States in existence before the 
 date of the enactment of this Act.
        (B) Criteria for selecting location.--In selecting 
 a location for the National Rural Export Center, the 
 Assistant Secretary shall give preference--
            (i) based on expertise and operations at 
 Commercial Service offices that support rural 
 businesses exporting to new markets before the 
 date of the enactment of this Act; and
            (ii) to such offices not located in major 
 metropolitan areas.
            (C) Location of staff.--Any researcher or staff 
 directly supporting the operation of the National Rural 
 Export Center shall be primarily based at the National 
 Rural Export Center.
            (c) Establishment of Regional Rural Export Centers.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall 
 establish not more than 9 regional rural export centers for the 
 purposes of providing businesses located in rural areas within 
 their regions with resources to help those businesses export 
 their products.

    (2) Subordination.--The programs, activities, and 
 expenditures of the regional rural export centers shall be 
 subordinate to and delegated by the National Rural Export 
 Center.
            (d) Export Center Operations.--

    (1) In general.--The National Rural Export Center and 
 regional rural export centers shall--
        (A) provide in-depth, customized, and actionable 
 market research services that--
            (i) a business may opt into based on need; 
 and
            (ii) are--
            (I) focused on actionable and 
 measurable results for a business;
            (II) business- and product-
 specific;
            (III) based on high-quality data, 
 including data from international trade 
 association subscription databases; and
            (IV) based on market analysis and 
 export services of the Commercial 
 Service available before the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, including 
 the Rural Export Center Research 
 Program; and
        (B) conduct strategic planning and export support 
 services for rural businesses as needed.

    (2) Measure of effectiveness.--To measure the effectiveness 
 of the National Rural Export Center and regional rural export 
 centers, the centers shall collect and make available data on--
        (A) the number of businesses that sign up for 
 market research assistance;
        (B) the number of export assistance services a 
 business engages in following the research assistance, 
 including--
            (i) trade shows;
            (ii) trade missions; and
            (iii) other services facilitated by the 
 Commercial Service; and
            (C) the total monetary value of exports facilitated 
 by the services provided by the centers.

    (3) Websites.--The National Rural Export Center and each 
 regional rural export center shall maintain an internet website 
 that includes--
        (A) data collected by the center;
        (B) best practices for rural businesses beginning 
 to evaluate export opportunities; and
            (C) appropriate contact information for staff at 
 the center.
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