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Rural Small Business Resilience Act

Floor Speech

Date: June 11, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, today we are considering H.R. 7984, which will require the SBA to close out the GAO recommendation, ensuring that individuals in rural areas where a disaster declaration has been made have full access to assistance, including targeted outreach and marketing materials. The SBA will have 1 year to close out the recommendation.

On February 22, 2024, the GAO issued a report examining how the SBA's disaster loan program assists communities after disasters, disaster loan trends in rural and urban areas for fiscal years 2017 to 2022, challenges rural communities face after disasters, and the SBA's actions that address challenges.

The GAO found that rural areas have characteristics that make recovery difficult, and they face challenges in seeking SBA disaster assistance. While the SBA has taken steps to address challenges to recovery, including portable outreach centers, virtual outreach, and a whole-of-SBA approach, this bill prioritizes the SBA's efforts to close out this GAO recommendation and focus on our Nation's rural communities.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), the sponsor of the legislation.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, as witnessed over recent years, the number and cost of weather and climate disasters, such as tornadoes and wildfires, have been increasing across the United States.

Approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, representing 97 percent of land area, according to the 2020 Census. GAO has recommended the SBA distinguish between rural and urban communities in its outreach and marketing to disaster areas. Such targeted outreach and marketing to rural communities can make a significant difference.

I thank Mr. Pappas and Mr. Bean for putting crazy town partisan antics aside and coming together to craft a bill that truly makes a difference for rural America.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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