On the recordApril 6, 2011
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume consideration of S. 493 and set aside the pending amendments so that I may call up the following two amendments en bloc. They are Cardin amendment No. 240 and Snowe amendment No. 253. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from Louisiana [Ms. Landrieu] proposes en bloc amendments numbered 240 and 253. The amendments are as follows: AMENDMENT NO. 240 (Purpose: To reinstate the increase in the surety bond guarantee limits for the Small Business Administration) At the end, add the following: SEC. ___. SURETY BONDS. (a) Maximum Bond Amount.--Section 411(a)(1) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 694b(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``(1)'' and all that follows and inserting the following: ``(1)(A) The Administration may, upon such terms and conditions as it may prescribe, guarantee and enter into commitments to guarantee any surety against loss resulting from a breach of the terms of a bid bond, payment bond, performance bond, or bonds ancillary thereto, by a principal on any total work order or contract amount at the time of bond execution that does not exceed $5,000,000. ``(B) The Administrator may guarantee a surety under subparagraph (A) for a total work order or contract amount that does not exceed $10,000,000, if a contracting officer of a Federal agency certifies that such a guarantee is necessary.''.…





