Rural Small Business Resilience Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7984) to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to improve access to disaster assistance for individuals located in rural areas, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7984

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Small Business Resilience Act''. SEC. 2. ACCESS TO DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS LOCATED IN RURAL AREAS.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall ensure that the Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience of the Administration takes such actions as necessary to ensure that individuals located in rural areas (as defined in paragraph (16) of section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(16))) for which a disaster declaration has been made under such section 7(b) have full access to assistance provided under such section, including by providing targeted outreach and marketing materials to such individuals. SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.

The second paragraph (16) (relating to statute of limitations) of section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)) is redesignated as paragraph (17).
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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7984, the Rural Small Business Resilience Act. This legislation would require the SBA to meet communities immediately following a disaster.

It is no secret that Americans in rural communities face different challenges following a disaster than their urban counterparts. It makes sense, then, that a one-size-fits-all outreach plan from the SBA is inadequate.

The GAO confirmed this in their February report, stating individuals in rural areas do not even know assistance is available from the SBA as they try to get back on their feet following a disaster.

The SBA's disaster loan program offers loans to help homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofits recover from physical and economic losses following a declared disaster.

I am grateful to Representative Pappas and Representative Bean for introducing this legislation so that rural Americans will have full access to these resources when disaster strikes.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean).

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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Speaker, national disasters are devastating, and it is important that Americans understand what resources are available regardless of where they live.

I, once again, thank Representatives Pappas and Bean for their work on this legislation.

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

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