Signed into law
Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
This act reauthorizes through FY2031 and modifies the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, and related pilot programs. (The SBIR and STTR programs are administered by various federal agencies and provide competitive awards for domestic small businesses to conduct research and development projects that have the potential for commercialization.)
- Measure
- S. 3971 · 119th Congress
- Latest action
- April 13, 2026
- Policy changes
- 4
- Source
- CRS summary (Public Law) · Congress.gov
Became Public Law No: 119-83.
Read it yourself · The summaries below are the Congressional Research Service’s. Under each one you can open the bill’s own wording, or read the full text (enrolled (sent to the President)).
What it would cost
Congressional Budget Office estimate
The Congressional Budget Office, Congress’s nonpartisan scorekeeper, hasn’t published a cost estimate for this bill yet.
Dollar amounts in the bill itself
The bill’s text doesn’t provide or authorize any money directly.
5 other dollar figures (thresholds, limits, tax amounts)
- $30 million Sec. 3(6) Strategic breakthrough allocation The requirement under paragraph (1) and the requirement to receive a waiver from the Administrator under paragraph (4) do not apply to a Federal agency for awards of not more than $30,000,000 to a small business concern with funds made available under a strategic breakthrough allocation (as defined in subsection (ff)(3)(A)).
- $100 million Sec. 3(A) Strategic breakthrough allocation defined In this paragraph, the term strategic breakthrough allocation means, with respect to a Federal agency with a required expenditure under subsection (f)(1) in excess of $100,000,000, an expenditure amount from the SBIR allocation under subsection (f)(1) of such agency of not more than 0.50 percent of the extramural budget for research or research and dev…
- $30 million Sec. 3(i) Award size and period of performance A Federal agency may award from a strategic breakthrough allocation not more than $30,000,000 to a small business concern, including its affiliates, in a single award or series of awards based on reaching production or development milestones, if the total period of performance of the project with respect to which such funds are awarded is not more than 48 m…
- $6,500 Sec. 7(A) Phase I A Federal agency described in paragraph (1) shall authorize a recipient of a Phase I SBIR or STTR award to use not more than $6,500 per project, included as part of the award of the recipient or in addition to the amount of the award of the recipient as determined appropriate by the head of the Federal agency, for the services described in paragraph (1)—
- $50,000 Sec. 7(B) Phase II A Federal agency described in paragraph (1) shall authorize a recipient of a Phase II SBIR or STTR award to utilize not more than $50,000 per project, included as part of the award of the recipient or in addition to the amount of the award of the recipient as determined appropriate by the head of the Federal agency, for the services described in paragraph (1)—
Read from the bill’s text by matching dollar amounts and the words around them; check the linked section before relying on a figure.
Who wrote it
Sponsor
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)Joined by 1 cosponsor, 1 of them from the day it was introduced. Introduced March 3, 2026.
All 1 cosponsors
- Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) · original
How Congress voted
House · March 17, 2026
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 345 - 41 (Roll no. 89).
345 yea · 41 nay · 45 other · Republicans 153–40 · Democrats 192–1 · Official record
Your delegation
Choose your state to see how your senators and representatives wrote, voted on, and spoke about this bill.
In their own words
What members have said about this bill, quoted exactly and linked to the source.
We haven’t found public statements from members about this bill yet.
What it changes — and your vote
One person, one vote · Anyone may read. To vote, verify your identity once with a government-issued ID — we keep no copy of it. Verify to vote
Provision 1
Specifically, the act expands the requirements for federal agencies administering these programs to evaluate the security risks of the small businesses that apply for awards under the programs.
If an agency denies an application for security reasons, the agency must provide the small business with the basis for such determination.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 2, Sec. 3(closest match)
The summary doesn’t name a section, so these are the sections whose wording matches it most closely.
Loading the text…
No verified votes yet
Provision 2
Further, each agency must set a maximum number of proposals per fiscal year that a small business concern may submit in response to Phase I and Phase II solicitations.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 4, Sec. 6, Sec. 8(closest match)
The summary doesn’t name a section, so these are the sections whose wording matches it most closely.
Loading the text…
No verified votes yet
Provision 3
Expands the training requirements for agencies' contracting officers and acquisition workforce with respect to Phase III (commercialization of technologies) awards under the SBIR and STTR programs.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 5(closest match)
The summary doesn’t name a section, so these are the sections whose wording matches it most closely.
Loading the text…
No verified votes yet
Provision 4
Establishes strategic breakthrough allocations for critical technology areas.
These are additional Phase II SBIR and STTR awards to small businesses that demonstrate an effective technology and receive matching funds.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 3(closest match)
The summary doesn’t name a section, so these are the sections whose wording matches it most closely.
Loading the text…
No verified votes yet