S. 3097: SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-06-23 · Commerce · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 703.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-06-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 703. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2016

Plain summary

SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2016 (Sec. 2) This bill establishes in the Department of Commerce a government-wide SelectUSA program to attract and retain domestic and foreign investment in the U.S. economy. SelectUSA shall: coordinate outreach and engagement by the federal government to promote the United States as the premier location to operate a business; serve as an ombudsman to facilitate resolution of issues involving federal programs or activities related to pending investments; inform domestic and foreign firms on the U.S. investment climate, federal programs and available investor incentives, and state and local economic development organizations; and endeavor to increase foreign direct investment opportunities for rural areas and smaller states, and make its services increasingly available to such states and areas. (Sec. 3) The bill also establishes the Federal Interagency Investment Working Group to coordinate activities to promote business investment and respond to specific issues that affect business investment decisions. (Sec. 4) Commerce shall, by December 31 of each year, report to Congress on SelectUSA's activities during the preceding fiscal year. (Sec. 5) The Government Accountability Office shall, within one year after this bill's enactment, assess SelectUSA's effectiveness in increasing, encouraging, and supporting foreign direct investment in the United States. (Sec. 6) At the beginning of each fiscal year, Commerce shall certify to Congress that each of its newly appointed political officials has received training on: regulations and policies governing the use of subordinates for non-official business; restrictions against the use of the political appointee's title or position for personal gain or creating the appearance of such use; key regulations and policies governing official travel, including the Federal Travel Regulation, as well as departmental travel policies, particularly regarding the necessity for adequately documented justification to support any per diem overages; and the advisability of monitoring renovation work done to their office suites to ensure the cost of such work does not contravene congressional budget restrictions. Within 30 days after enactment of this bill, Commerce shall: report to Congress on the renovations to the office suite of its Under Secretary for International Trade as to whether expenditures associated with those renovations exceeded the $5,000 limit imposed by Congress and whether the expenditures contravened the Anti-Deficiency Act; certify to Congress that it has implemented procedures requiring thorough documentation to support the categorization of any work performed on an official office suite of a politically appointed official as general or routine maintenance, or renovation work that is subject to congressional budget restrictions; and report to Congress on the steps it has taken to make subordinates working for politically appointed officials feel empowered to report instances of potential regulatory, policy, or rule violations (i.e., whistleblowing) to their superiors or to the Inspector General of Commerce.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 3097, SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2016 (2016-11-15)

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher A. Coons (D-DE)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] reported raising $1.8 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (5)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s3097.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s3097 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114