S.1703 - Rural Small Business Resilience Act (119th Congress)
Summary
The Rural Small Business Resilience Act (S. 1703) aims to improve access to disaster assistance for small businesses located in rural areas. It requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure that individuals in rural areas have full access to disaster assistance provided under Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act. This includes targeted outreach and marketing materials.
The bill also includes a technical amendment to redesignate a paragraph within Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act related to the statute of limitations. This adjustment is intended to clarify the existing legal framework.
Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the resilience of rural small businesses by improving their access to crucial disaster relief resources.
Expected Effects
The likely effect of this bill is improved access to SBA disaster assistance for rural small businesses. This could lead to quicker recovery times after disasters. The technical amendment will likely clarify the statute of limitations related to disaster assistance.
Potential Benefits
- Enhanced Access to Resources: Rural small businesses will have better access to SBA disaster assistance.
- Targeted Outreach: The SBA will provide targeted outreach and marketing materials to rural businesses.
- Improved Resilience: Small businesses in rural areas will be more resilient to the impact of disasters.
- Economic Stability: Aiding small businesses helps maintain economic stability in rural communities.
- Clarity in Regulations: The technical amendment provides clarity regarding the statute of limitations.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for Bureaucracy: Increased outreach efforts may lead to increased bureaucracy.
- Limited Scope: The bill focuses solely on disaster assistance and does not address other challenges faced by rural businesses.
- Implementation Challenges: Ensuring effective outreach to all eligible rural businesses may be challenging.
- Possible Funding Constraints: The bill does not specify funding mechanisms for the enhanced outreach efforts.
- Dependency on SBA: Increased reliance on the SBA for disaster assistance.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the spirit of the Constitution, particularly the General Welfare Clause. By supporting small businesses in rural areas during times of disaster, the bill promotes economic stability and community well-being. The bill does not appear to infringe upon any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 grants Congress the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States.
This bill falls under the umbrella of providing for the general welfare.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).