Skip to content
Govbase
Govbase
Congress·Passed House·H.R. 2987

Small Business Lending: Cap on Private Lenders

CEASE Act of 2025

Also known as: Capping Excessive Awarding of SBLC Entrants Act of 2025

10 months ago·View on Congress.gov
⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

✓ House

214–198

Senate
President
Law

Key Points

  • Congress is moving to set a hard limit on how many private, for-profit companies can be licensed to provide certain government-backed small business loans. The bill requires the government to ensure there are never more than 16 of these specific lending companies operating at once.
  • This rule targets specialized 'non-bank' lenders that help small businesses get funding through the government's main loan program. It does not apply to non-profit organizations, which can continue to provide these services without being counted toward the 16-company limit.
  • The policy is designed to control the growth of private lending companies in the federal loan system. By keeping the number of lenders small, the government can more easily supervise their activities and ensure they are following federal rules.
  • For small business owners, this could mean fewer options for getting a loan from newer financial technology companies or other non-traditional lenders. If the limit of 16 is already met, no new private companies would be allowed to join the program until one of the existing lenders leaves.

Milestones

5 milestones21 actions
Jun 9, 2025Senate

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Jun 5, 2025House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Jun 5, 2025House

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 198 (Roll no. 155). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2489)

Jun 5, 2025

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 198 (Roll no. 155). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2489)

Jun 5, 2025House

On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 201 - 212 (Roll no. 154).

Vote Results

2 votes
HouseFailedAmendmentJun 5, 2025

On Motion to Recommit

201
212
Democrat
201 – 0 · 11
Republican
0 – 212 · 8
View full roll call
HousePassedPassageJun 5, 2025

On Passage

214
198
Democrat
3 – 198 · 11
Republican
211 – 0 · 9
View full roll call

Related Bills

1 bill
H.Res. 458Procedurally related

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2483) to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2931) to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to relocate certain offices of the Small Business Administration in sanctuary jurisdictions, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2966) to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to require an applicant for certain loans of the Administration to provide certain citizenship status documentation, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2987) to amend the Small Business Act to require a limit on the number of small business lending companies, and for other purposes.

Jun 4 — Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

CEASE Act of 2025

Bill NumberHR 2987
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.