Small Business Territories Support Act
Sponsored By: Representative Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Introduced
Summary
Creates an SBA Office of Territorial Affairs to focus federal small-business support in U.S. territories. This bill would establish an Office inside the Small Business Administration to target entrepreneurial development, capital access, disaster assistance, and federal contracting for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
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- Businesses in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands would get coordinated support for starting and growing firms, loans, disaster aid, and access to federal contracts.
- An Assistant Administrator hired in the competitive service with territory-specific knowledge and experience in tailored small business development would lead the Office and serve as a liaison to lenders, resource partners, and federal and state agencies.
- The Office would review SBA programs, host outreach like webinars and events, and report to congressional small business committees within 180 days of enactment and then annually on activities, the number of concerns assisted, new businesses established where practicable, and recommendations to improve assistance.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More SBA help for U.S. territories
If enacted, the bill would create an Office of Territorial Affairs inside the Small Business Administration. The office would serve Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. It would be led by an Assistant Administrator hired in the competitive service who must know territorial government and have experience helping territorial small businesses. The office would work to improve access to SBA lending, entrepreneurial development, disaster assistance, Federal contracting, and capital by coordinating with Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, SCORE chapters, Veteran Business Outreach Centers, lenders, and federal and state agencies. The Assistant Administrator would review SBA programs for adequacy and contracting access, host webinars and outreach events in the territories, and act as a liaison for territorial small businesses. The Assistant Administrator would report to the House and Senate small business committees within 180 days of enactment and then yearly, with operational details, activity summaries, counts of assisted businesses by type and territory, counts of new businesses started because of the office when practicable, and recommendations to improve SBA help.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Del. King-Hinds, Kimberlyn [R-MP-At Large]
MP • R
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov