Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan small business package containing three bills championed by Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02). The bills aim to root out corruption in federal lending, make mission-critical fixes to a broken federal disaster-relief system, and give Main Street a fighting chance against corporate monopolies.
“Small businesses are the backbone of New Hampshire’s economy, and they deserve a government that works for them — not against them,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “That means cutting out conflicts of interest that rig federal lending, making sure no small business is left waiting on disaster relief, and standing up to the corporate monopolies that are squeezing Main Street. I took on the abuses of monopolies at the Justice Department, and I’m bringing that same fight to Congress.”
The Small Business Lending Fraud Prevention Act, led by Goodlander, slams the door on corruption in Small Business Administration (SBA) lending by requiring SBA employees to certify they have no prohibited conflict of interest before they originate, review, or approve a loan — ensuring every applicant competes on a level playing field.
The Disaster Loan Accountability and Reform Act, also led by Goodlander, makes sure small businesses are never blindsided when disaster strikes. The bipartisan bill requires transparent and timely reports to Congress on disaster-loan funding and early warnings when those funds run low, so communities are never left waiting on relief they were promised.
The Main Street Competes Act, which Goodlander cosponsored, will help put small businesses at the center of the work of federal antitrust enforcers by requiring the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to share small business complaints with the SBA’s Office of Advocacy — connecting the people fighting corporate consolidation with the businesses living it.
Small businesses make up 99% of New Hampshire’s private sector, and fighting for them has been a defining focus of Goodlander’s work in Congress. Earlier this year, the House passed her bipartisan Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act to give small businesses a seat at the table in international trade negotiations, and unanimously passed her bipartisan Office of Rural Affairs Enhancement Act to strengthen SBA support for rural small businesses and cut red tape.
She has also championed bipartisan legislation to build workforce pipelines, increase contracting transparency, expand access for entrepreneurs with disabilities, and hold federal programs accountable. Before coming to Congress, Goodlander was an antitrust enforcer at the Justice Department, where she took on the corporate monopolies that crush small businesses and drive up costs for families.
The bills now head to the Senate for consideration.
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