Minority And Disadvantaged Businesses

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

To fully implement the Initiative to Build Growth Equity Funds for Minority Businesses, and for other purposes. [HB-6348] [Small Business ] [Race and Civil Rights ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ]
Requires the Minority Business Development Agency to award a grant to fully implement the Initiative to Build Growth Equity Funds for Minority Businesses, which provides equity capital to invest in minority- and women-owned businesses. Interest earned on grant funds deposited into an interest-bearing account may be obligated and expended to carry out the grant's purposes. The Government Accountability Office shall carry out a biennial audit of the initiative and issue a report to Congress and the Minority Business Development Agency.

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Maxine Waters Introduced In House on 03/23/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Financial Protections and Assistance for America’s Consumers, States, Businesses, and Vulnerable Populations Act [HB-6321] [Finance ] [Healthcare ] [Housing ] [Small Business ] [Consumer Protection ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Human Services ] [Student Loans ] [Budget and Spending ] [Economic Development ] [Senior Citizens ] [Insurance ] [Public Health ] [Disaster Relief ] [Poverty ]
Responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency and generally provides for financial assistance and other aid to individuals, businesses, and state and local governments for the duration of the emergency period. Among other things, the bill provides direct payments to individuals of up to $2,000 a month, subject to limits based on adjusted gross income; establishes digital wallets for individuals without bank accounts to receive such payments; provides for the suspension of specified housing and consumer loan payments, evictions, (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Maxine Waters Introduced In House on 03/23/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Small Contractor Stability Act of 2020 [HB-6320] [Small Business ] [Labor, Jobs, Employment ] [Construction ] [Economic Development ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Budget and Spending ]
Raises the caps on sole-source contracts for specified small businesses, and it temporarily authorizes a federal contracting officer to award sole-source contracts to specified small businesses if the award prices for such contracts will not exceed maximum permissible amounts. A sole-source contract is a contract that may be issued without a competitive bidding process.

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Marc A. Veasey Introduced In House on 03/23/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

COVID–19 RELIEF for Small Businesses Act of 2020 COVID–19 Recovery by Enhancing Loan, Investment, and Education Funds for Small Businesses Act of 2020 [S.3554] [Small Business ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Veterans ] [Economic Development ] [Disaster Relief ] [Education ] [Finance ] [Budget and Spending ]
Establishes measures to provide assistance to small businesses impacted by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the Small Business Administration (SBA) must (1) provide economic injury grants for certain small businesses that have suffered substantial economic injury resulting from COVID-19; (2) establish a program to make direct loans to small businesses, up to 50% of which may be forgiven; and (3) pay the principal, interest, and associated fees on certain SBA loans, including microloans, for a six-month period. The bill also (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Cory A. Booker Read Twice And Referred To The Committee On Small Business And Entrepreneurship. on 03/20/2020

Weigh In

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 1

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Small Business Repayment Relief Act of 2020 [HB-6304] [Small Business ] [Budget and Spending ] [Finance ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ] [Disaster Relief ] [Public Health ]
Requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to pay the principal, interest, and any associated fees owed on certain loans made to small businesses for a six month period. The SBA must also encourage the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and state bank regulators to not require lenders to increase their reserves on account of receiving such payments made by the SBA. The SBA shall waive statutory limits on maximum loan maturities for certain loan durations where the lender provides a deferral (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton Introduced In House on 03/19/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

CARES Act Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act [S.3548] [Finance ] [Small Business ] [Taxes ] [Healthcare ] [Medicare and Medicaid ] [Student Loans ] [Budget and Spending ] [Insurance ] [Public Health ] [Education ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Pharmaceuticals ] [Economic Development ] [Labor, Jobs, Employment ] [Retirement ]
Addresses economic impacts of, and otherwise responds to, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. The bill authorizes emergency loans to distressed businesses, including air carriers, and suspends certain aviation excise taxes. With respect to small businesses, the bill establishes, and provides funding for, forgivable bridge loans; and provides additional funding for grants and technical assistance. The bill also provides funding for $1,200 tax rebates to individuals, with additional $500 payments per qualifying child. The rebate begins phasing out (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Chuck Grassley Committee On Small Business And Entrepreneurship. Hearings Held. on 06/03/2020

Weigh In

Votes for: 4 Votes against: 21

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Microloan Emergency Assistance Act of 2020 [HB-6291] [Small Business ] [Budget and Spending ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ]
Expands the Microloan Program of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Specifically, the bill increases the amount of funds available to an individual loan intermediary (i.e., a recipient of SBA direct loans that, in turn, makes microloans to startups and newly established or growing small businesses). The bill also makes eligible for certain technical assistance grants an intermediary that, among other requirements, provides at least 25% of its loans to small businesses in an economically distressed area. In addition, the bill temporarily (1) (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Andy Kim Introduced In House on 03/19/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

COVID–19 Relief for Small Businesses Act of 2020 [HB-6312] [Small Business ] [Disaster Relief ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Veterans ] [Economic Development ] [Law Enforcement ] [Public Safety ] [Labor, Jobs, Employment ] [Budget and Spending ] [Finance ] [Healthcare ] [Public Health ]
Establishes measures to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the SBA must temporarily make or guarantee loans for specified uses to small businesses in a state or territory with a case of COVID-19, up to 50% of which may be forgiven; pay the principal, interest, and associated fees owed on certain small business loans for a six-month period; provide grants to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury because of COVID-19; provide grants to small business development centers, women's (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez Introduced In House on 03/19/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

New Business Preservation Act [S.3515] [Small Business ] [Economic Development ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Investments ] [Technology and Innovation ] [Budget and Spending ] [Finance ]
Establishes and provides funding for the Innovation and Startups Equity Investment Program, through which the Department of the Treasury shall work with states to invest in new businesses. Specifically, the bill requires Treasury to provide certain funds to participating states, which such states shall use to administer specified approved programs that provide equity investment in new businesses. Certain areas with high levels of venture capital activity are excluded from the calculation of funds allocated to a participating state. Treasury shall (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Angus S. King Read Twice And Referred To The Committee On Banking, Housing, And Urban Affairs. on 03/18/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

A bill to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to subsidize payments on loans guaranteed under the 7(a) and 504 loan programs or made using funds under the microloan program, and for other purposes. [S.3519] [Small Business ] [Finance ] [Budget and Spending ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ]
Requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to pay the principal, interest, and any associated fees owed on certain loans made to small businesses for a six month period. The SBA must also encourage the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and state bank regulators to not require lenders to increase their reserves on account of receiving such payments made by the SBA. The SBA shall waive statutory limits on maximum loan maturities for certain loan durations where the lender provides a deferral (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Edward J. Markey Read Twice And Referred To The Committee On Small Business And Entrepreneurship. on 03/18/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

SBIR Expansion and Accountability Act of 2019 [S.2141] [Small Business ] [Technology and Innovation ] [Aerospace ] [Science ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ]
Expands the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Specifically, the bill (1) sets forth the specific goals of the SBIR program; (2) requires federal agencies that fail to meet minimum expenditure requirements for the SBIR program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program to report the reasons for their failure; and (3) and requires an agency that has allocated funds to a SBIR program to transfer a specified percentage of such funds to the Office of Investment and (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Edward J. Markey Read Twice And Referred To The Committee On Small Business And Entrepreneurship. on 07/17/2019

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

STEP Improvement Act of 2020 [HB-6133] [Small Business ] [Trade ] [Labor, Jobs, Employment ] [Economic Development ]
Reauthorizes through FY2024 the Small Business Administration's (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program, which provides foreign trade assistance to small businesses, and it revises provisions related to the administration of the program. Specifically, the SBA must establish a time frame for, and provide certain information related to, the application process, and it must conduct an annual survey to solicit feedback on the program. The SBA must collect data on certain performance metrics such as the (1) total number of small businesses assisted by the (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Abby Finkenauer Received In The Senate And Read Twice And Referred To The Committee On Small Business And Entrepreneurship. on 09/15/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Agriculture Resilience Act [HB-5861] [Agriculture ] [Climate Change ] [Energy ]
To address the impact of climate change on agriculture, and for other purposes.

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney Introduced In House on 02/12/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2020 [S.3282] [Veterans ] [Small Business ] [Law Enforcement ] [Criminal Justice ] [Military ] [Public Safety ] [Labor, Jobs, Employment ] [Crime ]
Applies certain small business subcontracting limitations to contracts that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awards to a small business concern owned and controlled by a veteran or a veteran with a service-connected disability. The VA may award such a contract only after obtaining a certification from the offeror that it will comply with such subcontracting limitations if awarded the contract. Such certification shall specify the applicable performance requirements and explicitly acknowledge that the certification is subject to criminal penalties (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Jon Tester Committee On Veterans' Affairs. Reported By Senator Moran Without Amendment. Without Written Report. on 09/15/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Bridging the Tribal Digital Divide Act of 2020 [S.3264] [Telecommunications ] [Native American Affairs ] [Technology and Innovation ] [Community Development ] [Infrastructure ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ]
Establishes an interagency coordination program for tribal access to broadband service and further expands broadband access on tribal land, including by setting aside certain funds for its deployment and establishing a pilot program for tribes to grant rights-of-way for the construction, maintenance, and facilitation of broadband service on their land.

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Schatz Committee On Indian Affairs. Ordered To Be Reported With An Amendment In The Nature Of A Substitute Favorably. on 11/18/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Bridging the Tribal Digital Divide Act of 2020 [HB-5850] [Telecommunications ] [Native American Affairs ] [Technology and Innovation ] [Community Development ] [Infrastructure ] [Funding ] [Grants ] [Economic Development ]
Establishes an interagency coordination program for tribal access to broadband service and further expands broadband access on tribal land, including by setting aside certain funds for its deployment and establishing a pilot program for tribes to grant rights-of-way for the construction, maintenance, and facilitation of broadband service on their land.

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Gwen Moore Referred To The Subcommittee On Commodity Exchanges, Energy, And Credit. on 02/25/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

A concurrent resolution supporting the Farmers Bill of Rights. [SCR-36] [Agriculture ] [Food ] [Small Business ] [Native American Affairs ] [Race and Civil Rights ]
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that (1) it recognizes the many contributions that family farmers and ranchers, including historically underserved farmers and ranchers, have made to America's agricultural industry, local food production, food sovereignty, rich variety of the country's abundant food supply, and traditional and cultural agricultural practices; and (2) the federal government should encourage support for family farmers and ranchers, in rural communities and on indigenous lands, and ensure access to open and (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Sen. Cory A. Booker Referred To The Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition, And Forestry. on 02/11/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Supporting the Farmers Bill of Rights. [HCR-88] [Agriculture ] [Food ] [Small Business ]
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that (1) it recognizes the many contributions that family farmers and ranchers, including historically underserved farmers and ranchers, have made to America's agricultural industry, local food production, food sovereignty, rich variety of the country's abundant food supply, and traditional and cultural agricultural practices; and (2) the federal government should encourage support for family farmers and ranchers, in rural communities and on indigenous lands, and ensure access to open and (continued...)

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Raul M. Grijalva Introduced In House on 02/06/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

Preserving Small Business Lending Act of 2020 [HB-5574] [Finance ] [Small Business ] [Consumer Protection ]
Repeals provisions requiring financial institutions to collect and report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau specified information regarding women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses applying for a loan.

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Roger Williams Introduced In House on 01/10/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0

Federal
US Congress 116th Congress

MEDIA Diversity Act of 2020 Measuring the Economics Driving Investments and Access for Diversity Act of 2020 [HB-5567] [Media and Advertising ] [Telecommunications ] [Race and Civil Rights ] [Economic Development ]
Requires the Federal Communications Commission to consider market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals in its biennial communications marketplace report.

  

Sponsored by: Rep. Marc A. Veasey Received In The Senate And Read Twice And Referred To The Committee On Commerce, Science, And Transportation. on 09/22/2020

Weigh In

No votes yet!
Cast yours now to be the first.

Votes for: 0 Votes against: 0