Two agencies told to collaborate on R&D—with small businesses included
H.R. 788 — DOE and SBA Research Act · Filed by Nicolas LaLota (R-NY) · 3 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 28, 2025 · Passed chamber
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What it does
This bill directs the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration to sign a formal agreement and work together on joint research and development projects that serve both agencies' missions. The bill requires them to include small businesses in these activities and report back to Congress within two years on what they've accomplished, but does not appropriate any new money—agencies must fund it from existing budgets.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a mandate for DOE and SBA to formalize joint R&D activities and report outcomes. It is procedural and coordinative, not substantive policy change or appropriation.
What the text implies
- The bill does not appropriate funds, meaning agencies must reprogram existing budgets to comply—this may redirect resources from other DOE or SBA priorities without explicit congressional approval of the trade-off.
- The memorandum of understanding is left entirely to agency discretion ('as jointly determined by the covered officials'), creating no enforceable standard for what 'joint advancement' means or how small businesses are actually included.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
small business concerns (potential indirect benefit through R&D collaboration access); research institutions and contractors selected by DOE/SBA for joint projects