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US Congress · H.R. 788 · Passed the House

DOE and SBA Research Act

Introduced
Moved
Reached a final decision
Introduced 2025-01-28
Derived from the official record below.

Officially: “DOE and SBA Research Act Read the full text

Commerce

What it does

DOE and SBA Research Act This bill requires the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration to enter into an agreement to collaborate on research and development activities. These activities must include, as appropriate, small businesses. The agencies must report on any collaborative research achievements and potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the agencies.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, from the official record. Plain-language version below. Not legal advice.

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AI plain language3 sections
Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.
1Short title

This section would let the Act be called the "DOE and SBA Research Act."

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Official text, verbatim from the record

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the DOE and SBA Research Act .

2Department of Energy and Small Business Administration joint research and development activities

This section would require the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to enter into a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate agreement to carry out cross-cutting, collaborative research and development activities that jointly advance the mission requirements and priorities of both agencies. The two officials would carry out and coordinate these activities through one or more such memoranda or agreements, as jointly determined by the two officials. In carrying out the activities, the officials would have to ensure the inclusion of small business concerns, as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632), as appropriate. The officials would also be allowed, but not required, to carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration, and appropriate entities to maximize the effectiveness of the research and development activities, and to collaborate with other federal agencies as appropriate. Not later than two years after this Act is enacted, the officials would have to submit a report to Congress on the activities carried out under the memorandum or agreement that covers: coordination between the officials involved; potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration; collaborative research achievements; areas of future mutually beneficial success; and continuation of coordination activities between the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration. The activities carried out under the memorandum or agreement would have to be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.), which covers research security.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

2. Department of Energy and Small Business Administration joint research and development activities (a) In general The Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (in this section referred to as the covered officials ) shall enter into a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate agreement to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activities focused on the joint advancement of Department of Energy and Small Business Administration mission requirements and priorities. (b) Memorandum of understanding or agreement The covered officials shall carry out and coordinate the activities described in subsection (a) by entering into one or more memoranda of understanding or other appropriate agreements, as jointly determined by the covered officials. (c) Inclusion of small business concerns In carrying out the activities described in subsection (a), the covered officials shall ensure the inclusion of small business concerns (as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 )) in such activities, as appropriate. (d) Other requirements In carrying out the activities described in subsection (a), the covered officials may— (1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration, and appropriate entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of research and development activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b); and (2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate to carry out such activities. (e) Report Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the covered officials shall submit to Congress a report on activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b) that includes the following: (1) Coordination between the covered officials involved in such activities. (2) Potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration. (3) Collaborative research achievements. (4) Areas of future mutually beneficial success. (5) Continuation of coordination activities between the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration. (f) Research security The activities carried out pursuant to a memorandum or agreement described in subsection (b) shall be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act ( Public Law 117–167 ; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq. ).

3Compliance with CUTGO

This section would state that no additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or any amendments made by this Act.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

3. Compliance with CUTGO No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.

AI plain languageRead the whole bill in plain language, 3 sections

Where it is

Introduced · 2025-01-28

In the House.

Passed the House · 2025-02-25
Senate floor vote · next · the next step

Official documents

The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-23. The same version at GovInfo.

The numbers

29%
of bills that passed one chamber became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=939)
4
sponsors, out of 218 needed to pass

Who is lobbying on this

NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONvia NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
6 filings
PUBLIC CITIZENvia PUBLIC CITIZEN
2 filings
EARTHJUSTICEvia EARTHJUSTICE
1 filing
From 9 filings in federal lobbying disclosures (LDA), via lda.gov, naming this bill (2025 to 2026). Filings are self-reported by lobbying firms and show who is paid to influence this bill. They do not say which side, or whether it worked.
Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (2025-02-26).