[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4146-H4148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SMALL BUSINESS CYBERSECURITY ASSISTANCE EVALUATION ACT OF 2026
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 8880) to require the Comptroller General to
evaluate Federal cybersecurity assistance to small business concerns,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 8880
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 ``Small Business Cybersecurity
Assistance Evaluation Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. GAO STUDY ON SMALL BUSINESS CYBERSECURITY ASSISTANCE.
(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall conduct a study of current Federal cybersecurity
initiatives, programs, resources, tools, and services
intended to assist owners of small business concerns (as
defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
632)) with--
(1) identifying cyber risks, cyber threats, and
cybersecurity vulnerabilities relating to such concerns;
(2) assessing the preparedness of such concerns for such
risks, threats, and vulnerabilities;
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(3) planning for, mitigating, and recovering from
cyberattacks and incidents of social engineering, scams, and
fraud (including developing, adopting, and implementing
cybersecurity measures, training, protocols, tools, and
infrastructure); and
(4) identifying sources of capital, or obtaining capital,
to carry out the activities specified in paragraphs (1), (2),
and (3).
(b) Required Content.--The study required by subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) information on the most common cyberattacks affecting
small business concerns;
(2) an identification and description of the Federal
cybersecurity initiatives, programs, resources, tools, and
services included in the study described in subsection (a);
(3) an assessment of the awareness and use of such Federal
cybersecurity initiatives, programs, resources, tools, and
services by small business concerns and reasons for
differences in levels of such awareness and use;
(4) an assessment of the coordination and integration among
such Federal cybersecurity initiatives, programs, resources,
tools, and services;
(5) an assessment of the effectiveness of such Federal
cybersecurity initiatives, programs, resources, tools, and
services in assisting small business concerns with the
activities listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection
(a);
(6) an identification of any foundational cybersecurity
concepts absent from such Federal cybersecurity initiatives,
programs, resources, tools, and services; and
(7) recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness,
awareness, and coordination of such Federal cybersecurity
initiatives, programs, resources, tools, and services for
small business concerns.
(c) Report.--The Comptroller General shall submit to the
Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of
the Senate a report containing all findings and
determinations made in carrying out the study required under
subsection (a).
SEC. 3. COMPLIANCE WITH CUTGO.
No such funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Olszewski)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
general leave
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8880, the Small
Business Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act of 2026, introduced by
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Simon) and the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Bresnahan), my friends.
Small businesses are facing a growing wave of cybersecurity threats
from ransomware attacks, phishing scams, and fraud schemes.
Unfortunately, many small businesses lack the financial resources and
technological expertise necessary to defend themselves against
increasingly sophisticated crimes.
Data indicates that small businesses are 210 percent more likely to
experience a cyber incident than larger companies. At the same time, 51
percent of small businesses reported having no cybersecurity measures
in place, leaving them particularly vulnerable to malicious cyber
activity.
{time} 1530
As artificial intelligence becomes more and more prevalent, threat
actors are increasingly using AI-generated content and impersonation
schemes to target small business owners and their employees. These
developments raise questions about the extent to which existing
cybersecurity resources and Federal support adequately address the
risks small businesses face.
While the Federal Government currently offers a variety of
cybersecurity programs, tools, resources, and even services to assist
small business, it is often unclear whether businessowners are aware of
the resources available, whether they are utilizing them, and whether
gaps exist in current Federal efforts.
H.R. 8880 takes a practical approach. This bill directs GAO to
evaluate how Federal agencies help small businesses identify
cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities, assess preparedness for small
businesses to have a plan for and recover from cyberattacks, and access
resources needed to strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure.
This legislation also directs the GAO to assess the awareness,
coordination, accessibility, and effectiveness of existing Federal
cybersecurity assistance programs and identify opportunities for
improvement. By examining what works and what needs additional
attention, Congress can better ensure that resources reach the small
businesses it serves.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, small businesses need access to
effective tools, training, and resources to protect their operations,
employees, and customers. This legislation will provide Congress with
valuable information to strengthen cybersecurity assistance and help
ensure Main Street businesses are better prepared for the challenges of
the digital age.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 8880, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 8880, the Small Business
Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act of 2026, as amended.
Since the COVID pandemic, firms of all sizes have increasingly
adopted technology. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 99
percent of small businesses use at least one tech platform, with 58
percent using at least four, but only one-quarter use cybersecurity
tools.
This gap creates glaring weaknesses in Main Street America's cyber
posture, weaknesses that cybercriminals are all too willing to exploit
to steal funds, proprietary information, and other critical assets.
While various Federal agencies provide cyber resources, their
collective impact needs improvement.
The SBA is uniquely equipped with the small business outreach
experience and network to help entrepreneurs with these technical
matters, leveraging other agencies' expertise.
H.R. 8880 will direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office to
report on the state of Federal small business cybersecurity resources
and make recommendations to optimize their impact and use by small
businesses.
I thank my colleagues Ms. Simon, Mr. Bresnahan, and Ranking Member
Velazquez for bringing this bill to the floor today, and I urge Members
to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman
from California (Ms. Simon), who is the sponsor of the bill.
Ms. SIMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan legislation,
the Small Business Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act.
Much has been said, but this bill would direct the Government
Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the
cybersecurity threats facing our small businesses. It would ensure that
Congress has the best data available to protect our small businesses
from cyberattacks.
Now, we know that small businesses in this country drive innovation,
create jobs, and support our communities in every single corner of all
50 States.
In my district alone, there are 16,000 small businesses, and we know,
as it was said earlier, that approximately 99 percent of small
businesses use at least one technology platform. At the same time,
cyber threats are becoming more and more sophisticated by the day.
Many small business owners do not have dedicated cybersecurity staff
or the resources to protect themselves. A single cybersecurity attack
could mean the difference between survival and failure for our mom-and-
pop businesses residing on our Main Streets.
I am very grateful to Congressman Bresnahan for partnering with me to
introduce this very important legislation. I thank Chairman Williams
and Ranking Member Velazquez for their continued leadership on behalf
of America's small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this very important
legislation.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we must pass H.R. 8880 to help
identify gaps, improve coordination, and
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ensure those resources effectively address cyber threats facing small
businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Bresnahan).
Mr. BRESNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Small Business
Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act which I was proud to introduce
with Representative Simon.
This bipartisan bill makes sure that the Federal resources designed
to help small businesses bolster their cybersecurity defenses are
working as intended and are identifying where they are falling short.
Small businesses are 210 percent more likely to experience cyber
incidents compared to larger companies, yet many lack the resources and
the expertise necessary to defend against these threats.
As cyber incidents become more common, it is very clear: Congress can
no longer afford to overlook this growing issue. By finding the gaps in
current programs, this bill will help ensure our small businesses have
better access to the tools, training, and resources they need to
strengthen their defenses against cyberattacks.
As these threats continue to evolve, our support systems for
America's small businesses must evolve as well.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important,
bipartisan legislation.
Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8880 puts us on a path to meaningful
reforms in Federal small business cybersecurity assistance. I commend
Ms. Simon and Mr. Bresnahan for their dedication to Main Street's
cybersecurity.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in
favor of H.R. 8880 to help strengthen cybersecurity, support small
businesses, and ensure Federal resources are being used effectively to
protect from growing cyber risks, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). 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. 8880, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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