NEWS | NSBA, SBTC Commend Congress for Presenting SBIR, STTR Small Business Reauthorization to President
- NSBA
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
NSBA and our Small Business Technology Council (SBTC) are grateful to Congress for their prioritization of small-business support in critical fund designations for technology research and development under the SBIR, STTR programs and urge the President to sign the S. 3971 reauthorization into law without delay.
APRIL 03, 2026 | This week, after months of urging from NSBA and our Small Business Technology Council (SBTC) members, Congress formally presented the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971) to President Trump to sign or veto the 5-year Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program reauthorization.
Presented to the White House two weeks after unanimous passage in the Senate and overwhelming majority support in the House, per the Constitution, President Trump is allotted 10 days (excepting Sundays) to act on the bill to sign into law or reject by a veto.
According to the calendar, if the President does not enact or veto S. 3971 by April 14, the SBIR/STTR reauthorization will automatically go into effect.
Before passage of S. 3971, the President issued an ultimatum related to the SAVE America Act, declaring there would be a moratorium on enacting new bills into law until Congress passed the voter ID and election reform bill.
Fortunately, the President is allowing exceptions to this blockade on signing bills into law, recently signing several bills into law related to awards for the Medal of Honor.
NSBA and SBTC commend Congress for their prioritization of small-business support in critical fund designations for technology research and development under the SBIR/STTR programs and urge the President to sign S. 3971 into law without delay.
Lapsed for more than six months since expiration on Sept. 30, 2025, an inactive SBIR/STTR program poses a significant threat to our nation's national security and the health of every American for the defense technology and life-saving health detection systems being developed through use of these funds.
Continued delay to reinstate these important programs will only further harm agencies in their abilities to resume and distribute awards in the future and continue to mount pressure on small businesses depending on this funding.
Follow NSBA and SBTC for up-to-the minute updates on this crucial SBIR/STTR reauthorization, catch up on what we're doing in the lead for this fight, and read the full bill text here.
