# 119-hr-4551: Employee Paycheck and Small Business Protection Act

119-hr-4551, Employee Paycheck and Small Business Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] (D-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4551
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-4551
- Congress: 119
- Title: Employee Paycheck and Small Business Protection Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-21
- Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-11-01

## Summary

**Creates a temporary guarantee that will fully insure eligible business transaction accounts up to $100 million per institution.** It is aimed at keeping payroll and vendor payments flowing for businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Bigger insurance for business payment accounts: benefit, high. If enacted, banks and credit unions would insure covered business payment accounts up to $100 million per institution. Accounts must be for a business, nonprofit, or local government, used mainly for payroll and vendor payments, and pay no or very low interest set by regulators. This extra coverage…
- Crisis backstop for payroll accounts: benefit, high. In a crisis, banks and credit unions could get a temporary program that fully insures covered payroll and vendor accounts for up to 180 days. Starting it would require two‑thirds votes at the FDIC or NCUA and the Federal Reserve, plus a Treasury decision (with the President) that it is needed. Inso…
- Agencies to study data and set limits: benefit, medium. Within 90 days, the FDIC and NCUA would start collecting data to design expanded coverage and set who qualifies. They must look at safety, system stability, competition (including minority and rural institutions and CDFIs), and whether holders can meet payroll and vendor payments. A public report w…
- More time to rebuild insurance funds: benefit, medium. Any FDIC or NCUA restoration plans in place at enactment would be extended by 8 years. The 8 years would start when the agencies’ final rules under this bill take effect. This could ease near‑term pressure on institutions while funds are rebuilt.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6771: Housing Crisis Response Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hres-1299: Providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 6644, with amendment.
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026

## Sources
- [119-hr-4551 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4551)

## Related
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-6771: Housing Crisis Response Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6771)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hres-1299: Providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 6644…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-1299)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4551 (as of 2026-11-01).