Sponsors (5)
The bill increases outreach and speeds SBA action to help rural disaster-declared residents and small businesses access recovery assistance, but it may raise agency costs and divert SBA capacity from other programs if additional funding is not provided.
Rural residents in disaster-declared areas will have improved awareness of and access to SBA disaster assistance, reducing barriers to recovery and helping more households and community services get timely support.
Small business owners in rural disaster-declared areas will receive targeted outreach and marketing about SBA disaster programs (including section 7(b)), increasing the likelihood they learn about and use recovery loans and supports.
Requiring the SBA to implement the outreach effort within one year could speed delivery of assistance and reduce delays in connecting affected rural communities and businesses with recovery resources.
If no new funds are provided, expanding outreach could divert SBA staff time and capacity from other programs or slow other disaster-response functions, potentially delaying other services for small businesses and communities.
Directing the SBA to expand outreach will increase administrative costs for the agency, which may require reallocation of resources or lead to higher taxpayer expense if additional funding is needed.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires the SBA to ensure people in rural disaster-declared areas have full access to SBA disaster assistance and receive targeted outreach and materials.
Directs the Small Business Administration to make sure people in rural areas who are in SBA-declared disaster zones can fully access SBA disaster assistance, and requires targeted outreach and marketing to reach those individuals. Also makes a non-substantive renumbering change to existing statute language.
Introduced January 28, 2025 by Kelly Morrison · Last progress February 26, 2025