Stop Funding Rioters Act

Bill Number: H.R. 4053
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Commerce
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-06-17: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
Last Updated: 2026-04-21T08:05:53Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The "Stop Funding Rioters Act" (H.R. 4053) aims to restrict access to Small Business Administration (SBA) programs by barring individuals convicted of specific crimes related to assaults on law enforcement or riots that damage small businesses. This is intended to prevent federal support for those involved in such activities.

Key Provisions

Ineligibility Criteria: Individuals convicted of:
A misdemeanor or felony assault against a law enforcement officer.
A felony offense committed during or in connection with a riot that resulted in the destruction of a small business (defined under the Small Business Act as a business with fewer than 500 employees or meeting other size standards).
Scope of Prohibition: Such individuals are ineligible for any assistance from, or participation in, SBA-administered programs, including loans, grants, counseling, and other support services.
Enforcement: The SBA must deny eligibility to those meeting these criteria, effectively amending existing SBA eligibility rules.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces new, targeted exclusions to SBA eligibility requirements, which previously focused on general factors like creditworthiness, business viability, and basic criminal history (e.g., certain fraud convictions).
It expands restrictions beyond standard financial or operational disqualifiers to include specific violent or riot-related offenses, without providing exceptions for rehabilitation or time elapsed since conviction.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: The SBA will need to implement screening processes to verify criminal records, potentially increasing administrative costs and workload for processing applications.
On Citizens: Individuals with qualifying convictions (e.g., from protests or riots) lose access to federal small business aid, which could hinder their entrepreneurial opportunities and economic recovery.
On Small Businesses and Communities: Indirectly protects small businesses by deterring aid to those who may have contributed to their destruction during riots, though it may limit overall participation in SBA programs.
International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic SBA programs and U.S. citizens or residents.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Convicted Individuals: Primarily those with records of assaulting law enforcement or riot-related felonies, who are directly barred from SBA benefits.
Small Business Owners: Benefit from protections against riot damage but may face a smaller pool of program participants if exclusions reduce overall access.
Law Enforcement and Prosecutors: Their work in pursuing these convictions gains indirect federal reinforcement through SBA restrictions.
Small Business Administration: Must enforce the new rules, affecting program administration and outreach.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal Implications: Adds a categorical bar to SBA eligibility based on conviction type, potentially requiring courts or agencies to interpret "riot" and "destruction" broadly; may lead to challenges over vague terms or disparate enforcement.
Constitutional Implications: Could raise equal protection concerns if applied unevenly across racial, political, or socioeconomic groups, or due process issues if convictions lack avenues for appeal or expungement in this context (though it does not alter criminal sentencing).
Political Implications: The bill's focus on riots and law enforcement assaults may tie into debates over public safety and protest rights, influencing partisan discussions on federal funding priorities without altering broader criminal justice policies.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7], Rep. Smith, Jason [R-MO-8]

Recent Actions

2025-06-17: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
2025-06-17: Introduced in House
2025-06-17: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Stop Funding Rioters Act — issued 2025-06-17 — PDF (2 pages)