U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean from Florida has announced the House’s approval of H.R. 804, known as the Small Business Resilience Act. This legislation aims to enhance the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) ability to provide disaster assistance and relief programs specifically for business owners in rural areas.
Congressman Bean emphasized the importance of this bill, stating: “As the Congressman from a hurricane-prone state, getting small businesses back on their feet after a disaster is a top priority. This bill strengthens the resiliency of small businesses by connecting them to critical resources when the unexpected happens. Now that this bill has passed the House, we are one step closer to eliminating bureaucratic red tape for the sake of our local economies and workforce.”
The bill was co-authored by U.S. Congresswoman Kelly Morrison, Congressman Chris Pappas, and Congressman Troy Downing. Congresswoman Morrison expressed her commitment to supporting small businesses: “I am willing to work with anyone to deliver results for our small businesses. The facts are clear: natural disasters are increasing, and rural small businesses are hit the hardest. With this commonsense bill, we’re working to cut red tape for small business owners and ensure they have the support they need to recover when disaster strikes.”
A report by the Government Accountability Office highlighted that individuals in rural communities might not be fully aware of SBA’s available assistance post-disaster. The Rural Small Business Resilience Act mandates that SBA create an advertising and outreach program focused on informing rural small business owners about its Disaster Loan Program.
The bill saw strong bipartisan support in the House, passing with a vote of 415-8.
