[Pages H2510-H2515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

{time} 0915
AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS FIRST ACT OF 2025

Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 458,
I call up the bill (H.R. 2966) to require the Administrator of the
Small Business Administration to require an applicant for certain loans
of the Administration to provide certain citizenship status
documentation, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate
consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 458, the
amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on
Small Business, printed in the bill, is adopted and the bill, as
amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

H.R. 2966

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page H2511]]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``American Entrepreneurs First
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR CITIZENSHIP STATUS DOCUMENTATION FOR
CERTAIN LOAN PROGRAMS OF THE SMALL BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION.

(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Small Business
Administration shall ensure that any application for a loan
submitted under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 636(a)) or title V of the Small Business Investment
Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.) includes the following
information:
(1) The date of birth for each individual applicant for
such loan or for each individual owner of an applicant
concern.
(2) Certification that--
(A) an individual applicant for such loan is a citizen of
the United States, a national of the United States, or a
lawful permanent resident of the United States; or
(B) an applicant concern for such loan or a guarantor for
such loan is 100 percent beneficially owned by individuals
who are either citizens of the United States, nationals of
the United States, or lawful permanent residents of the
United States.
(3) Certification that no direct or indirect owner of an
applicant concern for such loan is an ineligible person.
(4) Documentation of the alien registration number of any
lawful permanent resident who is--
(A) an individual applicant for such loan; or
(B) an owner of an applicant concern.
(b) Prohibition.--An applicant for a loan under section
7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) or title V
of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 695
et seq.) is ineligible for such loan if--
(1) the applicant submits the application for such loan
after the date of the enactment of this Act and such
application does not contain the information required under
subsection (a);
(2) in the case such applicant is an applicant concern, any
direct or indirect owner of such applicant concern is an
ineligible person; or
(3) in the case such applicant is an individual applicant,
such applicant is an ineligible person.
(c) Ineligible Person Defined.--In this Act, the term
``ineligible person'' means--
(1) an asylee;
(2) a refugee;
(3) an individual issued a visa to remain in the United
States;
(4) an alien classified as a nonimmigrant under any
subparagraph of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15));
(5) an alien to whom deferred action has been granted
pursuant to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy
announced by the Secretary of Homeland Security on June 15,
2012; or
(6) an alien present in the United States without lawful
status under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in
section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a))).

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for
1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Small Business or their respective
designees.
The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentlewoman from New
York (Ms. Velazquez) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Texas.

General Leave

Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2966, the American
Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Van Duyne
from the great State of Texas.
For 4 years under the Biden-Harris administration, the SBA approved
loans for illegal immigrants despite their ineligibility. This bill
requires citizenship verification of SBA loan assistance applications
to ensure that taxpayer-backed loans go only to American entrepreneurs.
This Congress, the Committee on Small Business is working to carry
out the Made in America agenda alongside the Trump administration. It
is critical that we get the capital necessary for U.S.-owned small
businesses to ensure they have everything they need to expand and grow.
This bill codifies both President Trump's executive order to end
taxpayer subsidization of open borders and Administrator Loeffler's SBA
7(a) program guardrails put in place earlier this year.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill for Main Street
America so Americans can achieve the dream of entrepreneurship and
business ownership, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2966, the American
Entrepreneurs First Act.
If we really wanted to put American entrepreneurs first, we would be
debating a bill to strengthen SBA lending and make it easier to access
capital, or we could stop playing political games and finally vote to
exempt small businesses from these painful on-again, off-again tariffs.
That would put American entrepreneurs first.
Unfortunately, this bill does nothing to help small businesses grow
or adjust to supply chain disruptions or unexpected tariff costs.
Rather, it will actually make it harder for thousands of legally
operating small businesses to get the financing they need at a time
they need it most.
SBA loans are supposed to help creditworthy businesses that cannot
get loans elsewhere. That includes many immigrant-owned businesses,
businesses that follow the rules, pay taxes, and create jobs in our
communities.
Let's set the record straight. First, the Small Business Act already
prohibits the use of funds for individuals not lawfully within the
United States. Contrary to any statement that my colleagues may make
that Democrats have supported this, this is incorrect. The statute is
clear. Secondly, there is no evidence, not a shred of evidence, that
has been shared with Members of Congress, the public, the IG, or other
law enforcement officials.
My colleagues across the aisle keep claiming that the Administrator,
along with DOGE, identified a case wherein an illegal alien--we will
get to my thoughts on that term in a minute--received a nearly $1
million loan despite holding only 49 percent ownership of a business.
These allegations are unsubstantiated. We have seen no documents,
data, or details that have been shared to support this claim. This
claim reportedly came from DOGE, which immediately sets off alarm bells
given the well-documented issues with privacy and accuracy since its
inception.
It is also troublesome that Republicans are blindly relying on the
SBA Administrator's word. At our committee hearing the day before
yesterday, all we heard from her was empty rhetoric and evasive
answers. I would need to see some evidence before accepting her word on
a case such as this.
If we are being asked to enact such drastic measures without proper
vetting or a thoughtful process, then we need more than her assurances.
We need evidence. We need real facts, not fabricated ones, to back up
these accusations.
Republican support for this bill seems to be strictly based on this
one case, but without the facts and circumstances, how can we know the
truth?
Oftentimes, my counterparts seem to refer to anyone born outside the
U.S. as an ``illegal,'' but Democrats understand the nuances of
immigration status. What they call an illegal may actually be a visa
holder, a green card holder, or someone with DACA or TPS protections.
Precision of language matters, especially when it involves accusations
of fraud.
That brings me to my next point. Without a full accounting of this
case, we could be looking at an illegal rescission of loan funds made
by the Trump administration. For all we know, the recipient of that
loan was in compliance with the SBA rules at the time, rules that, I
should note, were in place during the first Trump administration.
Those rules required 51 percent ownership of a business by a citizen
or permanent resident, meaning a 49 percent ownership stake by a short-
term resident, like a DACA recipient, was permissible if other
requirements were met. It allowed a pathway for hardworking, documented
persons to become entrepreneurs and give back to their communities.
Is this administration simply misrepresenting the rules and calling
foul for no reason; or are they the ones in the wrong by rescinding a
loan that was issued lawfully; or is this all just a manufactured
narrative? We may never

[[Page H2512]]

know because, despite repeated requests, the Administrator hasn't
shared any information.

On that note, if they have identified this as fraud or abuse, then
there is a process in place to turn over these findings to the Office
of Inspector General and other law enforcement for a full
investigation. No such referral has occurred, and no SBA IG has yet
been named after the illegal firing of Mike Ware, a respected watchdog
praised by Democrats and Republicans alike.
We also keep hearing about the need to protect taxpayers' money and
ensure SBA loans go to deserving small businesses. I don't disagree,
but I remind my colleagues that some of the individuals they refer to
as ``illegals,'' which in many cases means people with TPS or DACA
status, do pay taxes. They contribute to Social Security. The previous
51 percent ownership rule recognized that and created a pathway for
them to access some entrepreneurial assistance, but only as a minority
partner with a permanent resident.
This rule codifies the new rule that 100 percent of the business must
now be owned by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. That might sound
reasonable until you hear the real-world consequences.
Businesses could be shut out of SBA lending because of a foreign
investor with less than 2 percent ownership. A husband and wife could
not get a loan because one of them is a European citizen with an
ownership interest in the business. Despite their clear commitment to
creating local jobs and investing in their community, under this bill,
they are also being penalized.
The harm isn't limited to businessowners. The bill creates a new set
of compliance burdens that SBA lenders are not equipped to handle.
Banks will have to verify the citizenship status of every owner down to
the last percentage point, something they have told us could expose
them to legal risk under civil rights laws like the Equal Credit
Opportunity Act.
We have also heard concerns that the information collected under this
bill could be shared with immigration enforcement. This could turn the
SBA from a resource for all small businesses into an enforcement arm of
DHS. That is not what the SBA is for.
Finally, let me point out the double standard here. For years,
Republicans have complained about regulations and reporting
requirements being too burdensome for small businesses and lenders, but
now they are ready to impose an incredibly complicated, mandatory, and
invasive new compliance regime without offering any new resources to
support it.

This bill is about scoring political points at the expense of
immigrant entrepreneurs. It sends a message that some people, no matter
how hard they work or how closely they follow the rules, do not deserve
the same shot at success. We should be expanding opportunity, not
closing it off.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and stand up
for the small businesses that make our communities stronger, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from the great State of Texas (Ms. Van
Duyne).
Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, in the past 107 days since President Trump was
inaugurated and Administrator Loeffler took the helm at the Small
Business Administration, we have seen incredible strides toward
streamlining services, eliminating waste, and ensuring that every
taxpayer dollar delivers immeasurable results.
Beyond tackling bloat, inefficiencies, and burdensome regulations,
the administration has partnered with us to deliver real results for
the American people.
Today, congressional Republicans are partnering with them through my
bill, the American Entrepreneurs First Act.
We have heard this bill described this morning as complicated and as
taking drastic measures. Drastic measures mean that the SBA is going to
need new resources to be able to actually do their job.
Simply put, all this does is say that when they are giving out SBA
loans, they have to require age verification and citizenship status
verification. That is it. How complicated and drastic is that? Verify
age and citizenship status, that is it. It is codifying an important
executive action that is already taking place.
In recent months, it has been discovered that under the previous
administration, lax safeguards have allowed illegal aliens, children,
and even the deceased to apply for and receive SBA assistance.
Thanks to the great work done by this administration, we learned that
in June 2024, the SBA approved a $783,000 loan application for a small
business that was owned by almost one-half, 49 percent, by an illegal
alien.
Further, they found that between 2020 and 2021, the SBA issued over
3,000 loans totaling $333 million to borrowers over 115 years old--one
more time, that is $333 million of taxpayer dollars that went to
borrowers over 115 years old--and more than 5,500 loans totaling $300
million to children under 11 years old. Is that where we want our
dollars to be spent?
We know, without a doubt, that the previous administration welcomed
millions of illegal aliens into our country when, during the first 50
days of the Trump administration, ICE made over 32,809 arrests, which
included 14,111 convicted criminals, including 1,155 criminal gang
members.

{time} 0930

We cannot allow those kinds of folks who are in our country illegally
to take money away from hardworking Americans who are applying for SBA
taxpayer-backed loans.
I am thankful to see that the tide is now turning and that we have a
new day here in America, but it is important that we pass this
legislation to protect the successes of this administration in the long
term.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the
American Entrepreneurs First Act.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, if this is so easy, then let's bring 1071 back. The type
of information that it is requiring and that it is imposing lenders to
provide is at the very front end, while 1071 is voluntary at the end of
a loan being approved, then we are not burdening small businesses and
lenders today.
By the way, this bill likely violates the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act. SBA lenders have already told us that they are likely to pull back
from lending not to violate ECOA.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey
(Mrs. McIver).
Mrs. McIVER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my amazing Ranking Member Velazquez
for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 2966, a bill
that does not serve our small business community, despite its name.
At a time when local businesses are working hard to keep their doors
open and their workers employed, this bill would make it even harder to
access the capital they need to survive.
By adding new documentation requirements around age and citizenship,
it slows down the loan process and risks excluding legitimate
applicants, particularly those from immigrant and mixed-status
communities who already face steep challenges.
Let's be honest about what this bill really does. It uses small
business policy as a vehicle for immigration politics. That is not only
misguided, it is harmful.
Small businesses are still feeling the aftershock of inflation,
supply chain breakdowns, and rising costs. We should be focused on
helping them recover and grow, not creating new hoops for them to jump
through.
What is especially troubling is that this bill would lock into law a
policy that was rolled out without enough input and with little regard
for economic consequences.
Immigrant businessowners start businesses at high rates. They create
jobs. They invest in their communities. If we care about economic
growth, we cannot afford to turn our backs on them.
As someone who has worked closely with small business owners in
immigrant communities, I have seen the resilience and determination
they bring to our economy.
This bill sends the wrong message and sets the wrong priorities. We

[[Page H2513]]

should be making it easier for small businesses to access the tools
they need to thrive. That means focusing on the actual issues that they
raise with us every day. Let me remind my colleagues on the other side
that those issues would be inflation, access to capital, workforce
shortages, and the lingering effects of--guess what, drumroll--tariffs.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.
This bill does not put American businessowners first. In fact, it
sets them back.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentlemen from Texas (Mr. Cloud).
Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, today the House advances another pillar of
President Trump's America First agenda with the passage of the American
Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025.
This bill ensures that taxpayer-funded SBA loans are reserved for
American small businesses, not illegal aliens, certainly not children
or people who are dead.
Americans are grateful to finally have a President in office who is
protecting their taxpayer dollars and looking to weed out waste, fraud,
and abuse. Billions of loans have been flagged for suspected fraud and
ineligible applicants, including illegal aliens.
The Trump administration has instituted a policy requiring SBA loan
applications to include citizenship verification provisions. It is
common sense. This bill codifies these Trump-era safeguards into law so
that no future administration can turn Federal relief into a global
giveaway.
This is about ensuring we have the validation mechanisms in place to
ensure the rule of law. It is about prioritizing Americans. It is about
making sure that when a small business owner like those in Texas, or
anywhere else, fills out an application, they know the system is fair
and the resources are theirs to access.
With every bill codifying President Trump's EOs, we are moving closer
to a government that puts America first, protects American workers, and
restores American sovereignty.
Let's support this bill.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard supporters of this bill say it is about
protecting taxpayer dollars and stopping fraud, but the facts just
don't back that up. There is no evidence that undocumented immigrants
are getting loans they are not supposed to. In the one case Republicans
like to cite, not prove, that has been provided, it is highly likely
that DOGE and the current administration are confusing the rules that
were in place at the time with the stricter 100 percent ownership
requirement they imposed later.
That is what this bill is really doing. It targets small business
owners who are here legally, people like DACA recipients, visa holders,
and refugees; people who are building businesses, creating jobs, and
following every rule.
Republicans also claim this bill is about accountability, when in
reality it creates a mess for lenders. It forces them to track and
verify the age and citizenship status of every single businessowner
down to the last percentage point. It requires all of this information
just to be considered for the loan, unlike the section 1071 rules which
required voluntary reporting after the loan's origination. This bill
makes compliance a requisite for obtaining a loan.

I have to ask, after all of the complaints we have heard over the
years about section 1071, how do my colleagues justify this now? How do
my colleagues justify imposing this regulatory regime against lenders
and borrowers?
Right now small businesses are struggling. Tariffs are driving up the
costs of goods. Supply chains are under pressure. Instead of giving
entrepreneurs the tools they need to grow, this bill adds more barriers
and more uncertainty. If it is to become law, it is going to hurt the
very small businesses which it will be trying to help.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne).
Ms. VAN DYNE. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a little bit of concerns
about 1071. There is a huge difference between what we are requiring in
this and what 1071 required. That was for all businesses, for all
loans. It was not voluntary, and if businesses did not comply, they
could actually be fined. What we are asking for is simply verification
of legal status and age for companies that are applying for American
taxpayer-backed loans.
Now, this should not surprise anybody. This proposed rule increases
lending security and ensures that taxpayer dollars are used well.
Further, participating in government lending programs like the 7(a)
program naturally involves complying with government rules. This is no
different.
U.S. taxpayer dollars back the SBA lending programs, and adding
additional assurances, like age and legal status verification, making
sure loans go to lawful citizens is just common sense.
Lender concerns related to nationality discrimination are
nonsensical. This law does not prohibit lending based on nationality
but rather on legal residency or status.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Section 1071 the borrower can decline after the loan. The lender
cannot get information from a trade group.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record two letters in opposition to the
bill, one from the Small Business Majority and another from UnidosUS.
June 5, 2025.
Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Roger Williams,
Chairman, Committee on Small Business,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
Minority Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Nydia Velazquez,
Ranking Member, Committee on Small Business,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Johnson, Chairman Williams, Minority Leader
Jeffries and Ranking Member Velazquez: As a representative of
America's 34 million small businesses, Small Business
Majority writes to express our opposition to H.R. 2931, the
Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025, and H.R. 2966,
the American Entrepreneurs First Act.
Amid an increasingly more difficult economic environment,
the federal government should do everything it can to meet
small businesses where they are, which is why H.R. 2931 is an
example of a policy proposal that would be ineffective at
best and harmful at worst. The bill, which would require the
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to relocate any
regional, district or local SBA office housed in a `sanctuary
jurisdiction', ignores the fact that millions of small
businesses are located in or near cities that could be
designated as a `sanctuary jurisdiction.' Moving offices
farther away from the small businesses they were intended to
support certainly would not facilitate SBA better servicing
these small firms. What's more, there is no evidence to even
suggest that a city's policy toward immigrants has any
relationship to its ability to effectively meet the needs of
local small businesses. With that in mind, we strongly
encourage members of the House of Representatives to ignore
distractions like H.R. 2931 and focus on policies that would
truly benefit America's entrepreneurs.
In addition to ongoing efforts to shutter regional offices,
with no detailed or communicated plans as to where those
offices will be relocated or when, SBA has also slashed its
workforce by 43%, further restricting the agency's ability to
meet the growing demands of today's small businesses. Recent
national polling found that 78% of small business owners are
concerned about cuts to the SBA and its programs. Nearly 8 in
10 small business owners report having used SBA programs for
their business.
Also up for consideration is H.R. 2966, the American
Entrepreneurs First Act, which doesn't live up to its name.
Some small businesses that are majority owned by Americans
have foreign investors, and under this bill those businesses
would be denied access to critical Small Business
Administration resources. What's more, this legislation
ignores the fact that immigrant communities are a vital hub
of entrepreneurial activity in the United States. Immigrants
who may not yet be citizens employ American citizens and pay
taxes to the United States government; they too deserve
access to Small Business Administration resources. Small
Business Majority strongly supports uplifting immigrant
communities working in good faith to obtain U.S. citizenship.
These bills will lead to less vibrant communities and fewer
Main Street business opportunities for many in search of the
American Dream. Congress should do all it can to support
America's job creators, not pick and choose winners within
the small business community based on nothing more than where
a small business owner was born.
We urge your office to oppose H.R. 2931 and H.R. 2966 as
both proposals undermine the

[[Page H2514]]

SBA's capacity to carry out its mission and strip resources
away from hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs.
Sincerely,
John Arensmeyer,
Founder & CEO, Small Business Majority.
____

Tuesday June 3, 2025.
Dear Hill Colleague, On behalf of UnidosUS, we urge Members
to vote NO on both the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act
(H.R. 2931) and the American Entrepreneurs First Act (H.R.
2966).
H.R. 2931 represents an unacceptable politicization of the
Small Business Administration (SBA), proposing to strip vital
SBA resources from so-called ``sanctuary'' jurisdictions.
This would deny millions of small businesses, especially
those in underserved communities, access to essential
services such as loans, disaster relief, and technical
assistance, simply based on where they are located. These are
businesses already navigating high prices and ongoing
economic instability caused by the chaotic policies of the
administration. Punishing them because their local
governments instituted policies to draw a line between local
law enforcement responsibilities and federal immigration
enforcement will only deepen inequities and disrupt local
economies.
H.R. 2966 adds insult to injury by imposing sweeping new
restrictions on SBA loan eligibility, explicitly excluding
entrepreneurs with certain immigration statuses--including
asylees, refugees, DACA recipients, visa holders, and
undocumented individuals. Many of these individuals are
lawfully present in the U.S. and are creating jobs, paying
taxes, and helping their communities thrive. Shutting them
out of SBA programs undermines entrepreneurship, limits
innovation, and weakens our long-term economic
competitiveness.
Immigrant entrepreneurs open businesses at higher rates
than native born Americans and Latino-owned businesses
contribute almost $800 billion to the nation's economy. And
as we noted in our 2024 analysis on Latina Equal Pay Day,
Latinas are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Their economic
output exceeds $1.3 trillion, surpassing the GDP of Florida,
and they own over a quarter of all Latino-owned businesses.
Yet despite these contributions, Latinas face profound
structural barriers, earning just 58 cents for every dollar
earned by non-Hispanic white men, and with nearly two-thirds
lacking access to employer-based benefits. These challenges
would be compounded by H.R. 2931 and H.R. 2966, which
threaten to strip away the limited federal support many
Hispanic entrepreneurs and workers can access.
By excluding entire categories of immigrant entrepreneurs,
these bills risk driving more individuals into the shadow
economy, undermining transparency and accountability. States
and localities have a strong interest in knowing which
businesses are operating in their communities, including
street vendors and other informal enterprises. Instead of
supporting these efforts, the legislation would make it
harder to identify and engage such businesses, ultimately
hindering local economic development and effective
regulation.
Together, these bills are part of a broader effort to
scapegoat immigrants, even when doing so comes at the direct
expense of American small businesses and working families. We
urge Members to reject this harmful and short-sighted agenda
by voting NO on H.R. 2931 and H.R. 2966.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, let me say that H.R. 2966 will not
improve SBA lending or support small businesses. This bill creates new
barriers, targets legally operating entrepreneurs, and burdens lenders
with requirements they aren't equipped to meet. Small businesses are
struggling.
This administration's trade policies have increased uncertainty and
made it nearly impossible for many small firms to do business. The
small businesses in my district and those that have reached out to my
committee are not asking for this legislation. They want stability, and
they want more support.
This bill risks making things worse by reducing access to capital for
many small businesses that are following the rules. We should be
working together to lift these businesses up, not passing laws to
punish them.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill and focus instead on
solutions that will truly help American small businesses.
Let me say, they brought this bill to the floor without a single
hearing, no expert witnesses, no nothing.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote
``yes'' on this commonsense legislation, the American Entrepreneurs
First Act. We need to put the guardrails up to support Main Street
America.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 458, the previous question is ordered on
the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 217,
nays 190, not voting 25, as follows:

[Roll No. 156]

YEAS--217

Aderholt
Alford
Allen
Amodei (NV)
Arrington
Babin
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Barr
Barrett
Baumgartner
Bean (FL)
Begich
Bentz
Bergman
Bice
Biggs (AZ)
Biggs (SC)
Bilirakis
Boebert
Bost
Brecheen
Bresnahan
Burchett
Burlison
Calvert
Cammack
Carey
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Ciscomani
Cline
Cloud
Clyde
Cole
Collins
Crane
Crank
Crawford
Cuellar
Davidson
Davis (NC)
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Donalds
Downing
Dunn (FL)
Edwards
Ellzey
Emmer
Estes
Evans (CO)
Ezell
Fallon
Fedorchak
Feenstra
Fine
Finstad
Fischbach
Fitzgerald
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Flood
Fong
Foxx
Franklin, Scott
Fry
Fulcher
Garbarino
Gill (TX)
Gillen
Goldman (TX)
Gonzales, Tony
Gooden
Gosar
Graves
Green (TN)
Greene (GA)
Griffith
Grothman
Guest
Guthrie
Hageman
Harder (CA)
Haridopolos
Harrigan
Harris (MD)
Harris (NC)
Harshbarger
Hern (OK)
Higgins (LA)
Hill (AR)
Hinson
Houchin
Hudson
Huizenga
Hunt
Hurd (CO)
Issa
Jack
Jackson (TX)
James
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (SD)
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Kaptur
Kean
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
Kennedy (UT)
Kiggans (VA)
Kiley (CA)
Kim
Knott
Kustoff
LaHood
LaLota
LaMalfa
Langworthy
Latta
Lawler
Letlow
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luna
Luttrell
Mace
Mackenzie
Malliotakis
Maloy
Mann
Massie
Mast
McCaul
McClain
McClintock
McCormick
McDonald Rivet
McDowell
McGuire
Messmer
Miller (IL)
Miller (OH)
Miller (WV)
Mills
Moolenaar
Moore (NC)
Moore (UT)
Moore (WV)
Moran
Murphy
Nehls
Newhouse
Norman
Nunn (IA)
Obernolte
Ogles
Onder
Owens
Palmer
Patronis
Perez
Perry
Pfluger
Reschenthaler
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rose
Rouzer
Roy
Rulli
Rutherford
Salazar
Scalise
Schmidt
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Self
Sessions
Shreve
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smucker
Spartz
Stauber
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Strong
Stutzman
Suozzi
Taylor
Tenney
Thompson (PA)
Tiffany
Timmons
Turner (OH)
Valadao
Van Drew
Van Duyne
Wagner
Walberg
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Westerman
Wied
Williams (TX)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Yakym
Zinke

NAYS--190

Adams
Aguilar
Amo
Auchincloss
Balint
Barragan
Beatty
Bell
Bera
Beyer
Bishop
Bonamici
Boyle (PA)
Brown
Brownley
Budzinski
Bynum
Carbajal
Carson
Carter (LA)
Casar
Case
Casten
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Cherfilus-McCormick
Chu
Cisneros
Clark (MA)
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conaway
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Craig
Crockett
Crow
Davids (KS)
Davis (IL)
Dean (PA)
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Deluzio
DeSaulnier
Dexter
Dingell
Doggett
Elfreth
Escobar
Espaillat
Evans (PA)
Fields
Figures
Fletcher
Foster
Foushee
Frankel, Lois
Friedman
Frost
Garamendi
Garcia (CA)
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Golden (ME)
Gomez
Gonzalez, V.
Goodlander
Gray
Green, Al (TX)
Hayes
Himes
Horsford
Houlahan
Hoyer
Huffman
Ivey
Jackson (IL)
Jacobs
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (TX)
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy (NY)
Khanna
Krishnamoorthi
Landsman
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latimer
Lee (NV)
Lee (PA)
Leger Fernandez
Levin
Liccardo
Lieu
Lofgren
Lynch
Magaziner
Mannion
Matsui
McBath
McBride
McClellan
McCollum
McGarvey
McGovern
McIver
Meeks
Menendez
Meng
Mfume
Min
Morelle
Morrison
Moskowitz
Moulton
Mrvan
Nadler
Neal
Neguse
Ocasio-Cortez
Olszewski
Pallone
Panetta
Pappas
Pelosi
Peters
Pettersen
Pocan
Pou
Pressley
Quigley
Ramirez
Randall
Raskin
Riley (NY)
Rivas
Ross

[[Page H2515]]

Ruiz
Ryan
Salinas
Sanchez
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schneider
Scholten
Schrier
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Sewell
Sherman
Simon
Smith (WA)
Sorensen
Soto
Stansbury
Stanton
Stevens
Strickland
Subramanyam
Swalwell
Sykes
Takano
Thanedar
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tokuda
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Torres (NY)
Trahan
Tran
Underwood
Vargas
Vasquez
Veasey
Velazquez
Vindman
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Whitesides
Williams (GA)
Wilson (FL)

NOT VOTING--25

Ansari
Buchanan
Clarke (NY)
Comer
Crenshaw
De La Cruz
Gimenez
Goldman (NY)
Gottheimer
Hamadeh (AZ)
Hoyle (OR)
Kamlager-Dove
Lee (FL)
McClain Delaney
Meuser
Miller-Meeks
Moore (AL)
Moore (WI)
Mullin
Norcross
Omar
Pingree
Sherrill
Tlaib
Van Orden

{time} 1015

Ms. STEVENS changed her vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated against:
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I missed the Roll Call today.
Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 156, H.R.
2966.
Ms. ANSARI. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to attend today's vote. Had I
been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 156.

____________________