[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 98 (Tuesday, June 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3692-H3693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RURAL SMALL BUSINESS RESILIENCE ACT

  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 7984) to require the Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration to improve access to disaster assistance for 
individuals located in rural areas, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7984

       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 ``Rural Small Business 
     Resilience Act''.

     SEC. 2. ACCESS TO DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS LOCATED 
                   IN RURAL AREAS.

       Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business 
     Administration shall ensure that the Associate Administrator 
     of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience of the 
     Administration takes such actions as necessary to ensure that 
     individuals located in rural areas (as defined in paragraph 
     (16) of section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     636(b)(16))) for which a disaster declaration has been made 
     under such section 7(b) have full access to assistance 
     provided under such section, including by providing targeted 
     outreach and marketing materials to such individuals.

     SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.

       The second paragraph (16) (relating to statute of 
     limitations) of section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 636(b)) is redesignated as paragraph (17).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7984, the Rural Small 
Business Resilience Act. This legislation would require the SBA to meet 
communities immediately following a disaster.
  It is no secret that Americans in rural communities face different 
challenges following a disaster than their urban counterparts. It makes 
sense, then, that a one-size-fits-all outreach plan from the SBA is 
inadequate.
  The GAO confirmed this in their February report, stating individuals 
in rural areas do not even know assistance is available from the SBA as 
they try to get back on their feet following a disaster.
  The SBA's disaster loan program offers loans to help homeowners, 
renters, businesses, and nonprofits recover from physical and economic 
losses following a declared disaster.
  I am grateful to Representative Pappas and Representative Bean for 
introducing this legislation so that rural Americans will have full 
access to these resources when disaster strikes.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, today we are considering H.R. 7984, which will require 
the SBA to close out the GAO recommendation, ensuring that individuals 
in rural areas where a disaster declaration has been made have full 
access to assistance, including targeted outreach and marketing 
materials. The SBA will have 1 year to close out the recommendation.
  On February 22, 2024, the GAO issued a report examining how the SBA's 
disaster loan program assists communities after disasters, disaster 
loan trends in rural and urban areas for fiscal years 2017 to 2022, 
challenges rural communities face after disasters, and the SBA's 
actions that address challenges.
  The GAO found that rural areas have characteristics that make 
recovery difficult, and they face challenges in seeking SBA disaster 
assistance. While the SBA has taken steps to address challenges to 
recovery, including portable outreach centers, virtual outreach, and a 
whole-of-SBA approach, this bill prioritizes the SBA's efforts to close 
out this GAO recommendation and focus on our Nation's rural 
communities.
  Madam Speaker, I commend Mr. Pappas and Mr. Bean for their work on 
this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean).
  Mr. BEAN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, summer is right around the corner, and you know what 
that means: ice cream, going to the pool, going to the beach, baseball, 
and, unfortunately, hurricane season.
  We all know that in baseball, you get three strikes and you are out, 
but for some small business owners, they could be out with just one 
major disaster strike.
  According to FEMA, 43 percent of small businesses never reopen after 
a major disaster. An additional 29 percent go out of business within 2 
years of the disaster.
  That is why, today, I rise in support of H.R. 7984, the Rural Small 
Business Resilience Act, which I am proud to co-lead along with 
Representative Pappas from the great State of New Hampshire.
  This legislation will require the SBA to appropriately tailor 
marketing and outreach materials to rural communities following a 
disaster.
  In a recent report, the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, 
found that small businesses in rural communities are not aware of the 
vital assistance the SBA can provide following a disaster, which could 
make or break whether they remain open or closed.
  The GAO recommends the SBA distinguish their marketing between rural

[[Page H3693]]

and urban areas in their outreach and how they get the word out that 
they are there to help them.
  Thankfully, Representative Pappas and I have heard the message from 
GAO. It is loud and clear. We have the right answer, and it is the 
answer small businesses may be looking for. That answer, Madam Speaker, 
is the Rural Small Business Resilience Act.
  I ask my colleagues to support small business and support small 
business owners by voting ``yes'' today on H.R. 7984. It could very 
well be a game changer for small business.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), the sponsor of the 
legislation.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member and Chairman 
Williams for bringing this piece of legislation to the floor.
  I rise in support of bipartisan legislation that works to support our 
rural small businesses and entrepreneurs. In my State of New Hampshire, 
small businesses are our big business, and we must advance legislation 
that meets their needs and supports the economies of our local 
communities.
  I introduced this bill alongside Representative Bean, as well as 
Representatives Golden and Mann, and I am grateful for their leadership 
on this issue.
  This bipartisan bill would require the SBA to develop specific 
outreach policies and procedures for rural communities and ensure that 
rural small businesses have full access to SBA disaster assistance.
  It would specifically tailor outreach and marketing plans for the 
SBA's disaster loan program to address challenges rural communities 
face in accessing disaster relief. Rural small businesses face unique 
challenges, and we must ensure that we are taking every step possible 
to see that they have access to the full spectrum of resources and 
support, especially with regard to disaster preparedness and relief.
  As we continue to see extreme weather events impacting our 
communities, this legislation couldn't be more important.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support this bill on the floor today.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, as witnessed over recent years, the number and cost of 
weather and climate disasters, such as tornadoes and wildfires, have 
been increasing across the United States.
  Approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, 
representing 97 percent of land area, according to the 2020 Census. GAO 
has recommended the SBA distinguish between rural and urban communities 
in its outreach and marketing to disaster areas. Such targeted outreach 
and marketing to rural communities can make a significant difference.

                              {time}  1600

  I thank Mr. Pappas and Mr. Bean for putting crazy town partisan 
antics aside and coming together to craft a bill that truly makes a 
difference for rural America.
  Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support the bill, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, national disasters are 
devastating, and it is important that Americans understand what 
resources are available regardless of where they live.
  I, once again, thank Representatives Pappas and Bean for their work 
on this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7984.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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