HR6855-119

What This Bill Does

The White House Conference on Small Business Act updates the old White House Conference on Small Business Authorization Act. It resets deadlines so the President may convene the National Conference between December 31, 2025 and December 1, 2026, with earlier planning dates tied to October 1, 2025. It changes the conference purpose from simply identifying problems to identifying and prioritizing problems affecting small businesses, maintaining and expanding small business in the economy, and evaluating SBA and other federal small-business assistance programs with recommendations for improvement. It raises a participant amount from $10 to $200 and requires National Conference participants to be selected as delegates by a State conference and a regional meeting and to be an owner, officer, or employee of a small business. It authorizes SBA, after General Counsel consultation, to sponsor or cosponsor activities with for-profit entities, nonprofits, State or local officials, or State or local government entities, with recognition that is not an SBA endorsement. It funds authorized activities only through amounts provided in advance in appropriations acts from collected amounts, and allows the Commission, SBA, and GSA to solicit and accept non-federal gifts through section 501(c)(3) agreements unless the SBA Inspector General determines a conflict of interest. Unobligated amounts after the conference go to the Treasury. State includes States, D.C., Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories or possessions.

Who Benefits and How

Small business owners benefit because the conference is designed to prioritize their problems and recommend improvements to federal assistance programs. State conference delegates and regional delegates benefit from a structured path into the National Conference. SBA and other federal small-business program managers benefit from feedback on assistance programs. Eligible nonprofit, for-profit, State, and local cosponsors benefit from recognized participation in small-business activities.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The President, SBA, GSA, and the conference Commission must organize the conference, manage delegates, collect fees or gifts, and avoid conflicts. SBA General Counsel and Inspector General staff must review cosponsorship and gift issues. Small business delegates may pay higher participation amounts. Donors and cosponsors must accept that recognition is not an SBA endorsement and that conflict findings can block gifts.

Key Provisions

• Reauthorizes a White House Conference on Small Business for the 2025-2026 period.
• Requires the conference to prioritize small-business problems and evaluate SBA and federal assistance programs.
• Limits National Conference participation to small-business delegates selected through State and regional processes.
• Authorizes SBA sponsorship or cosponsorship of small-business activities with eligible entities.
• Provides funding through collected amounts and non-federal gifts subject to conflict-of-interest review.