Ayotte Applauds Committee Markup of SBIR Reauthorization

Press Release

Following today's Small Business Committee meeting to markup the Small Business Innovation (SBIR) program, US Senator Kelly Ayotte applauded the Committee's work to permanently reauthorize the program well ahead of its expiration in 2017. Ayotte is a cosponsor of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2016.

"I have long been a strong supporter of permanently renewing SBIR, and I am pleased that the Small Business Committee took action today to preserve this program well ahead of its expiration in 2017," said Senator Ayotte. "SBIR has supported many small businesses in New Hampshire and provided meaningful opportunities for innovation and development, while also helping create jobs, grow our economy, and bolster our national security."

On Tuesday, Senator Ayotte, as Chair of the Senate Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee, announced that her subcommittee approved its portion of the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes language to reauthorize SBIR and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for small defense businesses, which is so important to the many New Hampshire defense companies that play a critical role equipping our troops. Ayotte said, "I will continue to work across the aisle and push for full reauthorization of SBIR/STTR as part of the defense authorization bill."

Senator Ayotte is a strong supporter of the SBIR program and was instrumental in including an amendment reauthorizing SBIR for six years in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. In 2013, she and Senator Jeanne Shaheen held a Small Business Committee field hearing in New Hampshire, where several small business owners emphasized the importance of SBIR. In January, she again called on the Small Business Committee to permanently reauthorize SBIR.

SBIR aims to increase participation of small defense and technology companies in federally funded research and development through competitive grants. The funding comes from within government agencies' existing research and development budgets. The SBIR program was created in 1982 through legislation authored by former New Hampshire Senator Warren Rudman. New Hampshire firms have received nearly $523 million from 1983-2015, for 1,806 total awards.

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