The Bill
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5) voted yes Wednesday night on the Small Business Technological Advancement Act, a bill that would allow small businesses to use federal Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to pay for software and cloud computing services, including tools powered by artificial intelligence.
The House passed the measure Wednesday, June 24 under a suspension of the rules, a fast-track procedure typically reserved for noncontroversial legislation.
Right now, the SBA's 7(a) loan program — the agency's main lending tool for small businesses — doesn't explicitly cover business software or cloud services. This bill would change that, letting small business owners borrow money to cover things like payroll software, accounting platforms, inventory tracking tools, and AI-based business applications.
The bill was introduced in February 2025 by Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO-4) and later cleared the House Small Business Committee by a unanimous 23–0 vote before reaching the floor.
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The Vote Breakdown
The final tally was overwhelmingly bipartisan. According to the roll call record, 205 Republicans and 208 Democrats voted yes. Only four Republicans voted no.
Hoyer voted with his party. He did not break from the Democratic majority position.
Hoyer has represented Maryland's fifth District — which covers parts of Prince George's and St. Mary's counties — for 46 years, making him one of the longest-serving members of Congress. He has missed 19 votes this session.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where an identical companion bill, S.305, has already been introduced.
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