# S. 3971 (119th): 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

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.) 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. 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. The act 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. The act also 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.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: economic_security. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: procedural_motion. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: procurement_training. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: research_funding. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: sbir_reauthorization. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: security_screening. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: small_business. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: small_business_policy. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: mixed. Only tags the rules mark scoreable on a mixed bill are scored. A yea can draw a penalty or a credit according to the tag. A nay on a tag scored as good can draw a penalty.
Roll 89: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: The bill is a program reauthorization that funds domestic small-business research and commercialization, which is an ordinary economic good. It also adds security-risk screening and proposal caps that involve prudential trade-offs. Neither side is a direct advancement of moral harm or a direct restraint of a named evil, so the classification is mixed rather than good or evil.
Theological note: The measure bears on stewardship of public funds, the fair treatment of small businesses and their lawful labor, and the duty of government to weigh national security prudently. Its requirement that denials on security grounds be explained to applicants touches on fair dealing and procedural candor. Its security screening raises a prudential question of how far government may inquire into private enterprise without undue suspicion, but the text does not clearly target coercive intrusion or direct moral harm.

## Recorded votes

Roll 89: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass. Yea 345 · Nay 41 · Other 45.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/s-3971-119/