Native American Entrepreneurial and Opportunity Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator John Hickenlooper
Introduced
Summary
Creates an Office of Native American Affairs inside the Small Business Administration (SBA) to target entrepreneurial development, contracting, and capital access for Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations. It would direct outreach, grants, and interagency coordination to help revitalize Native businesses and economically disadvantaged parts of Indian Country.
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- Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations: Could receive grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other financial assistance to run training, counseling, workshops, supplier events, and outreach tailored to tribal needs.
- Native entrepreneurs and small businesses: Would get focused access to SBA programs, including support tied to the 8(a) small business contracting program and capital access efforts to grow Native-owned firms.
- SBA operations and federal coordination: An Associate Administrator for Native American Affairs, appointed by the SBA Administrator and required to have cultural knowledge and experience with culturally tailored assistance, would lead the Office and may set alternative regional work sites to serve disadvantaged areas.
The Office would be authorized to receive such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out these activities.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New SBA Office for Native Businesses
If enacted, this bill would create an Office of Native American Affairs inside the Small Business Administration. It would be led by an Associate Administrator appointed by the SBA Administrator who must have knowledge of Native cultures and experience with culturally tailored business help. The Office would connect Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and Native-owned small businesses to SBA programs, including the 8(a) contracting program. It could give grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements and run training, counseling, supplier events, and outreach. The Office could set up alternative work sites in SBA regional offices for economically disadvantaged parts of Indian Country (these would not be SBA field offices). The Office would help with Tribal consultation, recommend annual budgets, and Congress could appropriate such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Cosponsors
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 9/17/2025
Mazie Hirono
HI • D
Sponsored 9/17/2025
Markwayne Mullin
OK • R
Sponsored 9/17/2025
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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