H.R. 2966 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Jun 6, 2025. Received Jun 9, 2025; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryTightens eligibility for small business loans
The Small Business Administration offers two main types of loans to help small businesses get off the ground: the 7(a) loan program and the 504 loan program. This bill changes who can apply for these loans by requiring applicants to provide their date of birth and confirm they are U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents. It also makes certain immigration statuses—including asylees, refugees, visa holders, and people granted deferred action—ineligible to receive these loans.
How it affects you
If you're trying to start or grow a small business, this affects you depending on your immigration status. People who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents can still apply for these SBA loans (though they'll need to provide their date of birth). But if you're in the country under other immigration statuses, you would no longer be eligible for these particular loans, which many small business owners rely on to get funding.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Apr 17, 2025)
American Entrepreneurs First Act
This bill revises the application requirements for the Small Business Administration's 7(a) loan and 504 loan programs.
Specifically, the bill requires applications for such loans to include (1) the applicant's date of birth; and (2) a certification that the applicant or all beneficial owners are citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents of the United States.
The bill specifies that certain individuals are ineligible for such loans, including (1) asylees, (2) refugees, (3) individuals issued a visa to remain in the United States, (4) individuals legally classified as nonimmigrants, (5) individuals to whom deferred action has been granted pursuant to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and (6) individuals without lawful status under the immigration laws of the United States.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 2966
AN ACT
American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) · Introduced Apr 17, 2025 · Commerce · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 9, 2025: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Passage · Jun 6, 2025
Passage Passed 217–190
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 8 | 190 | 14 |
| Republicans | 209 | 0 | 11 |
8 members voted against most of their party: 8 Democrats voted Yes.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.