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To direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency to direct small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers to collaborate to better serve small business concerns, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill requires the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency to direct their small business development centers to collaborate in serving small businesses. The agencies must begin this collaboration within 180 days of the bill becoming law. Two years after enactment, the agencies must jointly report to Congress on the collaboration's results, including metrics on businesses served, new businesses started, jobs created, financial assistance provided, and recommendations for future collaboration.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
Actions (2)
- May 7, 2026 Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
- May 7, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 7, 2026
Ms. Scholten (for herself and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency to direct small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers to collaborate to better serve small business concerns, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Main Street Business Resource Integration and Development for Growth and Equity Act” or “Main Street BRIDGE Act”.
SEC. 2. COLLABORATION BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND MBDA BUSINESS CENTERS.
(a) Collaboration Required.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall direct small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers, respectively, to collaborate to better serve small business concerns.
(b) Report.—Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator and the Director shall jointly submit to Congress a report that includes the following:
(1) A summary of the results of the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(2) A description of the challenges faced by small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers in carrying out the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(3) The number of consultations, educational activities, and outreach activities performed by small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers in connection with the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(4) The number of small business concerns served as a result of the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(5) The number of new small business concerns started as a result of the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(6) The number of new jobs created and existing jobs supported, in small business concerns, as a result of the collaboration required under subsection (a).
(7) The dollar amount of financial assistance provided to small business concerns as a result of assistance received from small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers in connection with the collaboration required under subsection
(a).
(8) Any recommendations for enhancing collaboration between small business development centers and MBDA Business Centers.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.—The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) Director.—The term “Director” means the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency.
(3) MBDA business center.—The term “MBDA Business Center” has the meaning given that term in section 100002(7) of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9501(7)).
(4) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.
(5) Small business concern.—The term “small business concern” has the meaning given the term under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
(6) Small business development center.—The term “small business development center” has the meaning given that term in section 3(t) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(t)). <all>
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