ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act
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Would require the Small Business Administration to partner with the National Council on Disability — through a formal memorandum of understanding — to help people with disabilities start businesses, find jobs at small businesses, and help small businesses hire them and address accessibility needs.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would direct the SBA Administrator, in consultation with the Chair of the National Council on Disability, to carry out three activities: assist individuals with disabilities who want to become entrepreneurs or self-employed, help those individuals find employment at small businesses, and help small businesses hire people with disabilities and address related accessibility issues. The SBA would be required to formalize this work through one or more memoranda of understanding or similar agreements with the National Council on Disability, and to conduct outreach and education about these activities.
Not later than two years after enactment, the SBA Administrator would submit a report to Congress describing how the activities were carried out, analyzing opportunities to expand the SBA's technical capabilities in this area, summarizing achievements under the agreements, and laying out plans to continue expanding disability employment opportunities. Notably, the bill explicitly authorizes no additional funds to implement these requirements.
Key provisions
- 1Would require the SBA Administrator to assist individuals with disabilities who want to become entrepreneurs or be self-employed
- 2Would direct the SBA to help individuals with disabilities find employment at small business concerns
- 3Would require the SBA to assist small businesses with hiring individuals with disabilities and addressing applicable accessibility issues
- 4Would require the SBA and National Council on Disability to formalize activities through one or more memoranda of understanding or other agreements
- 5Would require the SBA to conduct outreach and education about disability entrepreneurship and employment activities
- 6Would require a report to Congress within two years covering activities, achievements, technical capacity, and future plans
- 7Explicitly authorizes no additional funds to carry out the Act's requirements
Who would be affected
Individuals with disabilities who are seeking entrepreneurship opportunities or employment at small businesses; small business owners seeking guidance on hiring people with disabilities or improving workplace accessibility; the Small Business Administration, which would be directed to coordinate and report on these activities; and the National Council on Disability, which would serve as a formal consulting partner.
Why it matters
If enacted, people with disabilities would gain a dedicated SBA resource for entrepreneurship support and job placement at small businesses, and small business owners would receive targeted guidance on accessibility and inclusive hiring. Because no new funds are authorized, the practical scope of assistance would depend entirely on how the SBA and National Council on Disability choose to direct existing resources.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. § 632 (Sec. 2(a)(2))
References the definition of 'small business concern' from this section to define the small businesses covered by the new disability employment assistance activities.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Report on activities under memoranda of understanding due to Congress
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1634 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
H.R. 1634 would require the National Council on Disability and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to collaborate — through a formal memorandum of understanding — on expanding employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for people with disabilities, and to report to Congress on those activities. CBO estimates the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period; any spending would be discretionary, meaning it depends on funds that Congress separately appropriates. CBO did not identify any intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
The SBA Administrator would enter into one or more formal memoranda of understanding or agreements with the National Council on Disability to structure and coordinate the required activities. Outreach and education would run alongside these agreement-based programs. Within two years of enactment, the Administrator must submit a report to Congress covering how activities were conducted, achievements, expansion of technical capacity, and future plans. No rulemaking is specified, and no new appropriations are authorized, so the bill operates within current agency resources.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to (1) provide assistance to individuals with disabilities who desire to become entrepreneurs or to be self-employed, (2) help individuals with disabilities find employment at small businesses; and (3) assist small businesses with hiring such individuals and with accessibility issues applicable to such individuals.
The SBA must conduct outreach and education about such activities.
The bill establishes reporting requirements with respect to these activities.
Legislative subjects
Commerce; Disability and paralysis; Disability assistance; Employee hiring; Small business
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-32