An amendment to the Senate's fiscal 2012 defense authorization act (S. 1867) would reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program through fiscal 2019.

The amendment, adopted by a voice vote on Nov. 29, would end years of doubt around the continued existence of the programs, which have been reauthorized through temporary extensions since the start of fiscal 2009.

Agencies with an R&D budget of more than $100 million per year must set-aside 2.5 percent of the extramural research budget for contracts or grants for SBIR, while agencies that have an R&D firm of over $1 billion must set-aside .3 percent of their extramural research budget for STTR.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chairwoman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, who proposed the announcement, urged in a statement the House to follow suit.

The Senate version of the defense authorization act faces the possibility of a presidential veto, however, due to provisions in it regarding the military detention of suspected terrorists.  

For more:
- go to the THOMAS page for S. 1867

Related Articles:
Senate approves anti-counterfeiting defense authorization act amendment
Senate strikes down amendment removing military detention of terrorism suspects
SASC, White House clash over military detention of terrorist suspects