Congresswoman Simon’s Bill to Protect Small Businesses Against Cybersecurity Threats Unanimously Passes House
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon’s (D-CA-12) fifth bill, the “Small Business Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act,” passed the House of Representatives unanimously. This bipartisan legislation is co-led by Congressman Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08) and directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess the cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities facing small businesses and identify existing federal initiatives and capital resources available to help them prepare for, mitigate, and defend against these risks.
As technology evolves, cybersecurity attacks like phishing, ransomware, and payment fraud are increasingly hard to fight for small businesses who lack the resources and capital that larger corporations have. Small businesses, especially minority-, women-, disabled-, and veteran-owned small businesses are especially vulnerable. A single cyber incident can deepen existing economic gaps and significantly impact a small businesses ability to remain operational. This bill would cut down on inequities by providing Congress with the information necessary to respond to cybersecurity threats and keep small businesses open and contributing to their communities.
“As someone who represents a district of over 16,000 small businesses, I know that small businesses are already operating with limited resources and tight margins, and minority-owned small businesses are often at even greater risk. As cyberattacks become more advanced, it's critical that lawmakers have access to the best information available to fully understand and combat the risks facing small businesses,” said Congresswoman Simon. “I am grateful to Congressman Bresnahan for partnering with me to introduce this important bipartisan legislation, and incredibly proud that my fifth bill has now passed the House of Representatives.”
You can find the full text of the bill here.
As a member of the House Small Business Committee, Congresswoman Simon is dedicated to ensuring small businesses have the conditions they need to succeed and ensuring fairness in business and loaning practices. This is the sixth small –business-related bill she has introduced in the 119th Congress, building on her recent introduction of the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights, which would establish core protections for small business owners against unfair lending practices. Since coming to Congress in January 2025, Congresswoman Simon has passed three other small business-related bills through the House of Representatives, including the Assisting Small Businesses, Not Fraudsters Act and the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act.
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