Rules Committee advances three Small Business bills targeting sanctuary policies, loan eligibility and SBLC caps

Summary

The Rules Committee adopted a structured rule that clears three Small Business Committee bills — HR 29 31, HR 29 66 and HR 29 87 — for House floor consideration. Supporters emphasized protecting SBA programs and taxpayer funds; opponents warned of unintended harm to small businesses, community lenders and the Community Advantage program.

The House Rules Committee on Monday approved a structured rule to bring three bills from the House Committee on Small Business to the floor: HR 29 31 (Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025), HR 29 66 (American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025) and HR 29 87 (the CEASE Act, capping Small Business Lending Company licenses). The committee adopted the rule by roll call after extended hearing testimony and vigorous floor‑style questioning.

Supporters of the measures framed them as efforts to protect taxpayer‑backed loan programs and restore oversight after recent regulatory changes at the Small Business Administration. Representative Van Dyne, testifying for the Small Business Committee, described HR 29 31 as requiring the SBA to relocate regional offices out of jurisdictions the bill classifies as “sanctuary” jurisdictions and said HR 29 66 would require citizenship or lawful‑resident verification for recipients of SBA assistance. Van Dyne described HR 29 87 as restoring a historical cap on the number of non‑bank Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) licenses at 16 to ensure SBA regulatory capacity.

Opponents, including Ranking Member Velázquez of the Small…

Rules Committee advances three Small Business bills targeting sanctuary policies, loan eligibility and SBLC caps

Summary

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