[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3417 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3417
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a
study on the disbursement process for certain small business loans, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 10, 2025
Mr. Justice introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a
study on the disbursement process for certain small business loans, and
for other purposes.
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 ``Main Street Lending Improvement Act
of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DISBURSEMENT PROCESS FOR CERTAIN SMALL BUSINESS LOANS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appalachian region.--The term ``Appalachian region''
has the meaning given such term by section 14102(a) of title
40, United States Code.
(2) Covered region.--The term ``covered region'' means a
region of the Administration that includes any part of the
Appalachian region.
(3) Region of the administration.--The term ``region of the
Administration'' has the meaning given such term in section 3
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
(4) Small business concern.--The term ``small business
concern'' has the meaning given such term under section 3 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)).
(5) Small business loan.--The term ``small business loan''
means a loan made under title V of the Small Business
Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.), section 7(a) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)), or section 7(m) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(m)), except that such
term excludes any loan made under a program established in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(b) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study on the disbursement process for small business loans.
(c) Contents.--
(1) In general.--In conducting the study under subsection
(b), the Comptroller General shall determine for each year
during the period beginning on January 1, 2021, and ending on
December 31, 2024, for each covered region, the measures
described in paragraph (2).
(2) Measures described.--The measures described in this
paragraph with respect to a covered region are, for each of the
portion of such covered region that is part of the Appalachian
region and the portion of such covered region that is not part
of the Appalachian region--
(A) the average length of time--
(i) between the submission of an
application for a small business loan by a
small business concern for which the principal
place of business is located in such portion
and when funds are disbursed with respect to
such application; and
(ii) to complete each step of the
application and disbursement process for small
business loans for small business concerns for
which the principal place of business is
located in such portion;
(B) the number that is equal to the product of--
(i) the number of small business loans
disbursed to small business concerns for which
the principal place of business is located in
such portion divided by the total number of
small business concerns for which the principal
place of business is located in such portion;
and
(ii) 1000;
(C) the number that is equal to the product of--
(i) the number of small business loans
approved for small business concerns for which
the principal place of business is located in
such portion divided by the total number of
small business concerns for which the principal
place of business is located in such portion;
and
(ii) 1000;
(D) the average and median dollar amount of small
business loans disbursed to small business concerns for
which the principal place of business is located in
such portion; and
(E) the number that is equal to the product of--
(i) the aggregate dollar amount of all
small business loans disbursed to small
business concerns for which the principal place
of business is located in such portion divided
by the total number of small business concerns
for which the principal place of business is
located in such portion; and
(ii) 1000.
(d) Briefing and Report.--
(1) Interim briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall provide
to Congress a briefing on the progress of the study required by
subsection (b).
(2) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General
shall submit to Congress a report containing the
results of the study required by subsection (b).
(B) Recommendations.--The report required by
subparagraph (A) shall include recommendations of the
Comptroller General for changes to the small business
loan disbursement process to--
(i) increase accessibility of small
business loans;
(ii) decrease the average length of time
from when an application for a small business
loan is submitted to when funds are disbursed
with respect to such application;
(iii) increase the availability of
information to an applicant for a small
business loan regarding the status of the
application of such applicant, including if any
additional information is needed from the
applicant to continue processing the
application of such applicant and an estimate
of the length of time until the funds with
respect to such application will be disbursed;
and
(iv) identify mechanisms and processes
internal to the agencies involved in making
small business loans that can be changed to
reduce inefficiencies of the Government with
respect to the processing of applications for
small business loans.
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