WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed bipartisan legislation co-led by CNMI Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds that would require the Small Business Administration to provide more accurate and consistent information to disaster survivors and small businesses seeking federal assistance.
The Disaster Loan Outreach Consistency Act, H.R. 10355, now moves to the Senate for consideration.
King-Hinds, who co-led the measure with Rep. Analilia Mejia, D-N.J., said the bill would help ensure that disaster outreach materials issued by SBA field operations centers reflect current loan terms, eligibility requirements and federal disaster assistance policies.
“In the Northern Mariana Islands, we know firsthand how important timely disaster assistance is,” King-Hinds said, noting that the Commonwealth was struck by two super typhoons earlier this year and many residents and businesses are still recovering.
According to a May 2026 report by the Government Accountability Office, SBA disaster field offices did not consistently update outreach materials, resulting in differing information being provided to disaster survivors. The report found significant variations in how field offices informed applicants that some disaster survivors may qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance without first applying for an SBA disaster loan.
“Survivors should not receive different answers simply because their disaster is handled by a different SBA field office,” King-Hinds said. “This is a common-sense fix to ensure that disaster survivors get the information they need when they need it most.”
Under the bill, the SBA would be required to establish standardized outreach templates, implement verification procedures before information is released publicly, and conduct annual reviews to ensure consistency across its disaster field operations centers. The agency also would be required to update its procedures after significant policy changes and notify congressional small business committees of those revisions.
Mejia, who introduced the legislation, said the measure was inspired by the challenges small businesses faced following Hurricane Ida in New Jersey.
“When every dollar and every day counts, business owners should never have to navigate outdated or incomplete information from their own government,” Mejia said. “This is a commonsense solution that strengthens government accountability and delivers real results.”
The legislation gained bipartisan backing, including support from Rep. Juan Cisneros, R-Texas, who later joined as a cosponsor.
If enacted, the measure would establish nationwide standards for SBA disaster loan communications, seeking to ensure that disaster survivors receive the same accurate information regardless of which SBA field office handles their case.
