A bill to authorize a program for the study by an interagency task force, led by the Small Business Administration, of the needs of consumer cooperatives; to create a pilot project, to be administered by the Small Business Administration, for lending to cooperatives.

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Authorizes the President to create an Interagency Task Force on Consumer Cooperatives with the Small Business Administration serving as the lead agency of the task force. Directs the task force to carry out a comprehensive study of the relationship of cooperatives to the economy, to ongoing Federal programs, to small business, to consumers and to competition; and to make reports to Congress on specified subjects two years after the effective date of this Act. Authorizes the Small Business Administration to administer a pilot loan program for cooperatives. States the purpose of such program as the demonstration of the need, feasibility, and cost effectiveness of a consumer cooperative bank, or other Federal program to aid consumer cooperatives. Sets forth eligibility requirements for loans under this program. Authorizes $20,000,000 to be appropriated to the Small Business Administration for carrying out the experimental loan program for fiscal year 1978.…