SBA Disaster Transparency Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1475
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Commerce
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-21: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-19T09:07:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The SBA Disaster Transparency Act (H.R. 1475) aims to increase public access to information about small business disaster assistance by requiring the Small Business Administration (SBA) to publish certain reports on its website. This builds on existing laws to promote transparency in how federal disaster aid is managed and reported.
Key Provisions
- Reporting Requirements: The bill amends Section 12091 of the Small Business Disaster Response and Loan Improvements Act of 2008 (a law that outlines SBA's disaster loan programs).
- Publication Mandate: For reports on disaster assistance (covering topics like loan processing, program performance, and recovery efforts), the SBA must now submit them to specific congressional committees and publish them online on the SBA's official website.
- Affected Subsections: The changes apply to subsections (a), (b), (c), and (e) of the law, which deal with quarterly reports on disaster loan programs, including details on application volumes, approval rates, and outreach efforts.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Previously, these reports were only required to be submitted directly to Congress (e.g., House and Senate Committees on Small Business).
- The bill adds a straightforward requirement for public online posting, using phrases like "and publish on the website of the Administration" in each relevant section.
- No new reports are created; the focus is solely on making existing ones publicly available, without altering the content or frequency of submissions.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The SBA will need to update its website regularly to post these reports, potentially increasing administrative workload but improving digital accessibility without significant new costs.
- On Citizens: Small business owners and the public gain easier access to data on disaster aid programs (e.g., Economic Injury Disaster Loans), which could help in understanding eligibility, program effectiveness, and recovery trends after events like hurricanes or wildfires.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic small business support.
- Overall, it could foster greater trust in federal disaster response by reducing reliance on Freedom of Information Act requests for such information.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Small Business Administration (SBA): Primary entity responsible for compliance, including report preparation and online publication.
- Small Businesses: Especially those in disaster-prone areas, who benefit from transparent information on aid availability and program performance.
- Congressional Committees: House and Senate Committees on Small Business, which continue to receive reports but now share them publicly.
- General Public and Advocacy Groups: Gain broader access to government data, potentially aiding oversight and research on disaster recovery.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens accountability under existing disaster aid laws without creating new enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance. It aligns with federal transparency standards (e.g., similar to open data initiatives) but does not introduce privacy concerns, as reports are aggregated and non-personal.
- Constitutional: No major issues; it supports the government's role in promoting commerce (Article I, Section 8) through informed public access, without infringing on free speech or other rights.
- Political: Promotes bipartisan oversight of disaster programs (introduced with cosponsors from both parties), potentially reducing perceptions of opacity in federal spending during crises. It could influence future appropriations by highlighting program efficiencies or gaps.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (17)
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19], Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35], Rep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11], Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1], Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2], Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16], Rep. Rogers, Harold [R-KY-5], Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14], Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4], Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22], Rep. McDowell, Addison [R-NC-6], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-21: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 2025-02-21: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-21: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- SBA Disaster Transparency Act — issued 2025-02-21 — PDF (3 pages)