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The House passed H.R. 832, a bill that empowers the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy to represent American small businesses in international trade and regulatory discussions.
H.R. 832, known as the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2025, expands the duties of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Advocacy. The bill requires the office to consider the 'international economy' when evaluating how federal laws affect small firms and creates a formal requirement for the office to advocate for U.S. small business interests before foreign governments and international organizations. This vote was conducted under a procedure known as 'suspension of the rules,' which is used for bills that have broad consensus. This process bypasses certain steps to speed up the legislative process but requires a higher success threshold—two-thirds of the members voting—rather than a simple majority. The bill passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, far exceeding the necessary votes. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. If it becomes law, the SBA's Office of Advocacy will have a clear legal mandate to ensure American small businesses have a voice when global trade rules and international regulations are being developed, helping them compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
The bill has been received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. Small businesses often lack the resources to monitor international regulations; this bill provides them with a dedicated advocate within the federal government to represent their interests on the world stage.
Who’s affected. Small Business Owners: Gain official representation in international trade and regulatory negotiations. · SBA Office of Advocacy: Mandated to broaden its focus to include international economic impacts on small businesses.
Democrats. The Democratic caucus was split, though a large number of members supported the final passage.
Republicans. The Republican caucus overwhelmingly supported the measure as part of their legislative agenda for small business growth.
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Feb 24, 2025
The House passed H.R.
832, a bill that empowers the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy to represent American small businesses in international trade and regulatory discussions.
A 'suspension of the rules' is a fast-track process for bills that are mostly non-controversial. To pass, the bill must receive support from at least two-thirds of the members voting.
The bill has been received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Small businesses often lack the resources to monitor international regulations; this bill provides them with a dedicated advocate within the federal government to represent their interests on the world stage.
The bill passed with massive support from both parties, reflecting a broad consensus on supporting small business interests abroad.
The Democratic caucus was split, though a large number of members supported the final passage.
The Republican caucus overwhelmingly supported the measure as part of their legislative agenda for small business growth.
The single independent member present voted in favor of the bill.