[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3496 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3496


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 26 (legislative day, January 15), 2026

 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business 
                          and Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To amend the Small Business Act for microloan eligibility for the 
 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Mariana Islands Small 
Business Access Act''.

SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS 
              IN THE MICROLOAN PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 7(m)(7)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 636(m)(7)(B)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands'' after ``Guam'' each place it appears; and
            (2) in clause (i)(I)(bb), by striking ``\1/55\'' and 
        inserting ``\1/56\''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Section 7(m)(11)(C)(ii) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(m)(11)(C)(ii)) is amended by striking 
``rural'' and all that follows through the end of the clause and 
inserting ``rural; and''.

            Passed the House of Representatives January 20, 2026.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.