A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House voice vote
- In Senate committee
The House by voice vote (members called out yes or no together): no member's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
The WOSB Accountability Act establishes new requirements for certifying small business concerns owned and controlled by women. It amends the Small Business Act to exclude self-certified women-owned small businesses from governmentwide and agency goals. Under this law, only businesses that have been officially certified can be included in calculating those specific goals. The bill includes rules for how existing self-certified businesses are treated during the transition. Additionally, the Small Business Administration Administrator must issue regulations and provide quarterly briefings to Congress.
Yes
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill increases transparency through required quarterly briefings to Congress regarding certification and costs.
- Scored +1
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill increases federal oversight by requiring formal certification processes for small businesses.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -5
Would women be better off under this?
The bill may negatively impact women entrepreneurs by mandating costly certification processes and excluding self-certified businesses from federal goals.
- Scored -4
Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated?
By excluding self-certified women-owned businesses from federal goals, the bill may reduce the perceived and actual support for women in business.
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Small business owners face new certification requirements and potential costs to maintain their status in federal goals.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency for Congress: The Administrator must provide quarterly briefings to the House and Senate committees regarding certification numbers, pending applications, processing timelines, and administrative costs (Section 2(c)).
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Information on Costs: The bill requires the Administrator to report on the estimated costs for applicants to seek certification from a national certifying entity (Section 2(c)(5)).
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Outreach Efforts: The Administrator is required to discuss current and future outreach efforts to women-owned small businesses and Federal agencies (Section 2(c)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Exclusion from Goals: Small business concerns that are only self-certified will no longer be included in the calculation of governmentwide and agency goals for women-owned businesses (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Requirement for Official Certification: To be included in the established goals, women-owned small businesses must undergo formal certification under section 8(m)(2)(E) of the Small Business Act (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Financial Burden: The act notes that there are costs associated with seeking certification from a national certifying entity (Section 2(c)(5)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill may negatively impact women entrepreneurs by mandating costly certification processes and excluding self-certified businesses from federal goals. Would business owners be better off under this? — Small business owners face new certification requirements and potential costs to maintain their status in federal goals.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill increases transparency through required quarterly briefings to Congress regarding certification and costs. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight by requiring formal certification processes for small businesses.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — By excluding self-certified women-owned businesses from federal goals, the bill may reduce the perceived and actual support for women in business.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The mandate for formal certification may create new financial and administrative burdens for women-owned small businesses.
- 6/4/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- 6/3/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2393-2394)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2393-2394)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1816.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2393-2395)
- Mr. Williams (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 3/24/2025
- Reported by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 119-37.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 26.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/5/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 0.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/3/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Maggie GoodlanderDemocrat · New Hampshire
Nick LaLotaRepublican · New York