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HR 6431 119th Congress House Taxation Employment taxes Self-employed State and local government operations Unemployment

New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act

Introduced: December 4, 2025 Introduced by: Carey, Mike Republican · Ohio See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 13 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 28, 2026
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Apr 27, 2026 · 4:48 PM EDT
Mr. Carey moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Apr 27, 2026 · 4:56 PM EDT
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3114)
Apr 27, 2026 · 4:48 PM EDT
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6431.
Apr 27, 2026 · 4:56 PM EDT
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Apr 27, 2026 · 4:56 PM EDT
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3114)
Apr 27, 2026 · 4:48 PM EDT
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3114-3115)
Feb 20, 2026
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-509.
Feb 20, 2026
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 435.
Jan 14, 2026
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 41 - 0.
Jan 14, 2026
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 4, 2025
Introduced in House
Dec 4, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act

This bill increases the percentage of individuals who may participate in a Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program, generally expands eligibility for such programs, and modifies certain SEA program requirements.

As background, an SEA program provides an individual with an SEA allowance, rather than regular unemployment compensation benefits, if such individual is (1) eligible for unemployment compensation benefits and identified as likely to exhaust such benefits, (2) participating in self-employment assistance activities which include entrepreneurial training, business counseling, and technical assistance and are approved by the state, and (3) working full-time on establishing a business and becoming self-employed. Under current law, the number of individuals participating in an SEA program may not exceed 5% of the individuals receiving regular unemployment compensation benefits in the state.

The bill

  • increases the percentage of individuals who may participate in a state SEA program to 10%,
  • eliminates the requirement that an individual be determined likely to exhaust unemployment compensation benefits (generally expanding individual eligibility for an SEA program), and
  • requires individuals to certify (at least weekly) that they are working full-time on establishing a business and becoming self-employed.

Finally, the bill allows individuals to meet the requirement to participate in state-approved self-employment assistance activities if such activities either (1) include entrepreneurial training, business counseling, and technical assistance (permitted under current law); or (2) are performed pursuant to a state-approved business plan and market feasibility study.

What's happening now April 28, 2026

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Lobbying activity 5

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

 Cosponsors 6
All 6 Democratic 2 Republican 4
D
Vindman, Eugene Simon
Virginia · Dec 17, 2025
 R
Feenstra, Randy
Iowa · Dec 4, 2025
 D
Landsman, Greg
Ohio · Dec 4, 2025
 R
Miller, Max L.
Ohio · Dec 4, 2025
 R
Moran, Nathaniel
Texas · Dec 4, 2025
 R
Yakym, Rudy
Indiana · Dec 4, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 6431: New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-6431/
MLA
"H.R. 6431: New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-6431/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 6431, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-6431/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 6431: New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-6431/)
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