ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE MARKET DEVELOPMENT COOPERATOR PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

SEC. 4225. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE MARKET DEVELOPMENT COOPERATOR PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (a) In General.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce for the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending 18 months thereafter, $15,000,000 for the Manufacturing and Services unit of the International Trade Administration— (1) to establish public-private partnerships under the Market Development Cooperator Program of the International Trade Administration; and (2) to underwrite a portion of the start-up costs for new projects carried out under that Program to strengthen the competitiveness and market share of United States industry, not to exceed, for each such project, the lesser of— (A) ⅓ of the total start-up costs for the project; or (B) $500,000. (b) Requirements.—In obligating and expending the funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a), the Secretary of Commerce shall give preference to activities that— (1) assist small- and medium-sized businesses in the United States; and (2) the Secretary determines will create or sustain the greatest number of jobs in the United States and obtain the maximum return on investment.