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House Passes Bills to Aid Small Businesses in Cybersecurity and Onshoring Manufacturing

House Passes Bills to Aid Small Businesses in Cybersecurity and Onshoring Manufacturing

House Passes Bills to Aid Small Businesses in Cybersecurity and Onshoring Manufacturing
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House Passes Bills to Enhance Cybersecurity for Small Businesses and Combat Foreign Threats

House Passes Bills to Enhance Cybersecurity for Small Businesses and Combat Foreign Threats

On November 11, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills aimed at supporting small businesses. The first, the Cybersecurity for Small Businesses Act, introduced by Rep. Tony Wied (R-WI), mandates the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide guidance on cybersecurity best practices. This guidance will be developed in consultation with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). The bill also requires the SBA to coordinate with the Department of Defense (DoD) to offer cybersecurity guidance for small businesses seeking federal contracts, particularly those involved with the Pentagon’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. The second bill, the Combatting Foreign Threats to Main Street Act, introduced by Reps. Roger Williams (R-TX) and Derek Tran (D-CA), directs the SBA to create educational materials for small businesses on mitigating threats from foreign adversaries. These materials will detai...
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House Passes Seven Bipartisan Bills to Strengthen American Small Businesses and Enhance SBA Accountability

House Passes Seven Bipartisan Bills to Strengthen American Small Businesses and Enhance SBA Accountability

House Passes Seven Bipartisan Bills to Strengthen American Small Businesses and Enhance SBA Accountability
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U.S. House Passes Seven Bipartisan Small-Business Bills to Streamline SBA Operations and Boost Manufacturing

U.S. House Passes Seven Bipartisan Small-Business Bills to Streamline SBA Operations and Boost Manufacturing

U.S. House Passes Seven Bipartisan Small-Business Bills to Streamline SBA Operations and Boost Manufacturing
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House Passes Bipartisan Olszewski-Wied Bill to Aid Small Businesses in Reshoring Manufacturing

House Passes Bipartisan Olszewski-Wied Bill to Aid Small Businesses in Reshoring Manufacturing

House Passes Bipartisan Olszewski-Wied Bill to Aid Small Businesses in Reshoring Manufacturing
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Representative Tony Wied Joins Bipartisan Call for Senate Action on Small Business Legislation

Representative Tony Wied Joins Bipartisan Call for Senate Action on Small Business Legislation

U.S. Representative Tony Wied (R-WI-08) has co-led a bipartisan letter urging the Senate to act on 32 House-passed bills aimed at supporting small businesses. The letter, spearheaded by Representative Derek Tran (CA-45), was sent to Chairwoman Ernst and Ranking Member Markey of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. These bills, which have already passed the House of Representatives, address various issues including workforce development, fraud prevention, transparency, and technology solutions for small businesses. Representative Wied specifically highlighted his co-led bills, H.R. 4549 and H.R. 8879, emphasizing their role in increasing transparency and providing rural small businesses with necessary tools. The coalition of House members is pressing for Senate consideration before the 119th Congress concludes in January, warning that failure to act would result in the expiration of all 32 bills, requiring them to be reintroduced and restart the legislative process in the next Congre...
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House Passes Major Richard Star Act to Ensure Full Benefits for Combat-Injured Veterans

House Passes Major Richard Star Act to Ensure Full Benefits for Combat-Injured Veterans

The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102, S. 1032) with a vote of 392 to 18. This legislation aims to allow certain combat-injured veterans to receive both their full military retirement pay and any disability benefits owed to them by the Department of Veterans Affairs, without offset. Currently, an existing policy can reduce one benefit if a veteran receives the other. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has applauded this passage, with AFGE National President Everett Kelley urging the Senate to pass the bill and send it to the president for signature. However, the passage of this act came one day after House leaders also advanced a larger omnibus bill, misleadingly titled the 'Take Care of America’s Veterans Act,' which AFGE claims would undermine veterans' care and reduce workplace rights for veteran caregivers.
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Representative Kelly Morrison Introduces Small Business Tariff Relief Hotline Act to Aid Businesses with Illegal Tariff Refunds

Representative Kelly Morrison Introduces Small Business Tariff Relief Hotline Act to Aid Businesses with Illegal Tariff Refunds

Representative Kelly Morrison Introduces Small Business Tariff Relief Hotline Act to Aid Businesses with Illegal Tariff Refunds
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House Committee Advances Bill Proposing New Annual Federal Fee for EV Owners

House Committee Advances Bill Proposing New Annual Federal Fee for EV Owners

The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has approved a bipartisan draft of a transportation funding bill, the BUILD America 250 Act, which includes a new annual federal fee for electric vehicle (EV) owners. This proposed fee would start at $130 annually and could increase by $5 each year, reaching a maximum of $150. Owners of plug-in hybrids would face a $35 fee, potentially rising to $50 by 2031. The measure aims to address the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund, which is primarily funded by gasoline taxes that EV drivers do not pay. The current surface transportation funding is set to expire on December 11, and if the larger bill passes both the House and Senate, EV owners could begin paying this fee as early as December. The fee would be collected when owners register their vehicles, differing from mileage-based proposals that have raised privacy concerns. Representative Sam Graves, Chair of the U.S. House Transportation Committee, stated that the fee ensures EV owners contribute the...
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US Congress Democrats plot 'must-have' victories in 2027

US Congress Democrats plot 'must-have' victories in 2027

By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Democrats poised to take full control of the US Congress next year are aiming for a fast start in the opening weeks of January, with what they say will be a response to voters' top concerns in the aftermath of the party's huge wins on November 3.
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Explainer-How would impeaching Pentagon chief Hegseth work?

Explainer-How would impeaching Pentagon chief Hegseth work?

By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be impeached by the House of Representatives this week on charges of abusing his power, including by going to war with Iran without an imminent threat or congressional approval.
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U.S. Rep. Grace Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Establish Diwali as Federal Holiday Amid Rising Anti-Hindu and Anti-South Asian Hate

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Establish Diwali as Federal Holiday Amid Rising Anti-Hindu and Anti-South Asian Hate

U.S. Representative Grace Meng has reintroduced legislation aimed at designating Diwali as a federal holiday in the United States. This move comes in response to a significant increase in anti-Hindu and anti-South Asian hate incidents across the nation. The legislation, known as the Diwali Day Act, was reintroduced by Meng, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, shortly after the main celebration of the 2026 Diwali festival. The bill currently has 19 co-sponsors in Congress and, if passed, would make Diwali the 12th federally recognized holiday. Meng emphasized that establishing Diwali as a federal holiday would provide a day off for Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities to celebrate and would signal that the government values their cultures and traditions, particularly during a period of rising hate and intimidation.