Rural Small Business Resilience Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 804
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Commerce
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-26: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-11T10:58:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Rural Small Business Resilience Act aims to enhance access to disaster assistance for individuals and small businesses in rural areas by requiring the Small Business Administration (SBA) to implement targeted support measures following disaster declarations.
Key Provisions
- Mandate for Improved Access: Within one year of enactment, the SBA Administrator must direct the Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience to take necessary actions ensuring full access to disaster loans and assistance under Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act for rural areas affected by declared disasters.
- Targeted Outreach: This includes providing specific outreach and marketing materials to individuals in rural areas (defined as locations with a population under 50,000, per existing law) to inform them of available aid.
- Technical Amendment: Redesignates the existing paragraph (16) in Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act—related to the statute of limitations for disaster assistance claims—from (16) to (17), likely to accommodate future expansions without disrupting current numbering.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new requirement for proactive, targeted communication and support specifically for rural disaster victims, which was not explicitly mandated before under Section 7(b).
- The technical redesignation is a minor housekeeping change that does not alter the substance of the statute of limitations but ensures orderly numbering in the law.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The SBA will need to allocate resources for outreach programs, potentially increasing administrative workload and costs in the short term to develop and distribute materials.
- On Citizens: Rural residents and small business owners in disaster-prone areas may experience easier access to low-interest loans and other recovery aid, reducing barriers like lack of awareness that often disadvantage remote communities.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the legislation focuses solely on domestic U.S. disaster assistance.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Rural Individuals and Small Businesses: Primary beneficiaries, particularly those in areas with populations under 50,000 hit by disasters like floods, hurricanes, or wildfires.
- Small Business Administration (SBA): Responsible for implementation, including the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience.
- Local Governments and Community Organizations: Indirectly involved in disseminating outreach materials and supporting affected populations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens equity in federal disaster aid distribution without creating new entitlements, aligning with existing SBA authority under the Small Business Act; the one-year implementation timeline provides a clear deadline enforceable through congressional oversight.
- Constitutional: No significant challenges, as it involves administrative actions within Congress's commerce and spending powers to support economic recovery.
- Political: Promotes rural-focused policy priorities, potentially appealing to bipartisan interests in disaster preparedness and small business support, while addressing urban-rural disparities in federal aid access.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2], Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1], Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-26: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- 2025-02-25: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-02-25: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 - 8 (Roll no. 49). (text: 2/24/2025 CR H746) (Roll call 49)
- 2025-02-25: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 - 8 (Roll no. 49). (text: 2/24/2025 CR H746) (Roll call 49)
- 2025-02-25: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H824)
- 2025-02-24: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- 2025-02-24: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 804.
- 2025-02-24: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H745-746)
- 2025-02-24: Mr. Williams (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Rural Small Business Resilience Act — issued 2025-02-25 — PDF (4 pages)
- Rural Small Business Resilience Act — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (2 pages)
- Rural Small Business Resilience Act — issued 2025-02-26 — PDF (3 pages)