Main Street Competes Act

Hillary J. Scholten

Democrat · MI · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Derek Schmidt (R-KS-2)Original· 2026-05-19
• Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-2)· 2026-05-21

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

2026-06-24

Source: Congress.gov

Main Street Competes Act This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to separately report biennially to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on how such agency's enforcement of federal antitrust law has promoted competition and deterred anticompetitive conduct that harms small businesses. The reports must include the number of antitrust inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions conducted by the agencies. Further, the SBA must report to Congress a summary of the DOJ and FTC reports that includes, as appropriate, recommendations for administration actions that may promote competition and deter anticompetitive conduct. The bill replaces a requirement that the President report annually to Congress about the role of small businesses in the economy on an industry-by-industry basis.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8882 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8882 To amend the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 to examine how the competitiveness of small businesses is affected by the enforcement of Federal antitrust laws, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 19, 2026 Ms. Scholten (for herself and Mr. Schmidt) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 to examine how the competitiveness of small businesses is affected by the enforcement of Federal antitrust laws, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Main Street Competes Act''. SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION OF SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC POLICY. Section 302(a) of the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 631a(a)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``and provide'' and inserting ``provide''; and (2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and promote competitive markets, consumer choice, and business ownership through enforcement of Federal antitrust laws in the case of anticompetitive conduct and illegal mergers that harms small businesses and the growth of small businesses.''. SEC. 3. STATE OF SMALL BUSINESSES. (a) In General.--Section 303 of the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 631b) is amended to read as follows: ``SEC. 303. REPORT ON THE STATE OF SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS. ``(a) Specified Entity Report.--Not later than 180 days after the end of the fiscal year in which the Main Street Competes Act is enacted, and every two fiscal years thereafter, the head of each specified entity shall submit to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration a report including-- ``(1) an analysis of how enforcement by the specified entity of Federal antitrust laws promoted competition during the preceding fiscal year by deterring and remedying anticompetitive conduct, including illegal mergers, that harms small businesses and the growth of small businesses; ``(2) the number of complaints of alleged antitrust violations filed by self-identified small businesses with the specified entity during such fiscal year, disaggregated by type of offense and the specific Federal antitrust laws allegedly violated; ``(3) the number of inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions undertaken by the specified entity in response to complaints filed by small businesses with the specified entity during such fiscal year; and ``(4) the number of inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions undertaken by the specified entity during such fiscal year pursuant to an alleged antitrust violation, opened for a reason other than a complaint filed by a small business as described in paragraph (3), to deter and remedy anticompetitive conduct that harms small businesses and the growth of small businesses. ``(b) Office of Advocacy Report.--Not later than 180 days after receipt of the report required by subsection (a), the Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall submit to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of Senate a report that includes-- ``(1) a summary of the report submitted under subsection (a); ``(2) an analysis of the data in such report, disaggregated by industry category; ``(3) an evaluation of the issues identified in such report relating to-- ``(A) anticompetitive conduct, including illegal mergers, that harmed small businesses and the growth of small businesses; and ``(B) administrative actions that promoted competition and growth…

of small businesses; ``(4) as appropriate, recommendations for administrative actions that could-- ``(A) promote competition; ``(B) deter anticompetitive conduct, including illegal mergers, that harmed small business and the growth of small businesses; and ``(C) remedy such anticompetitive conduct; and ``(5) as appropriate, recommendations for legislative actions that could-- ``(A) promote competition; ``(B) deter anticompetitive conduct, including illegal mergers, that harmed small business and the growth of small businesses; and ``(C) remedy such anticompetitive conduct.''. (b) Definitions.--The Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-302; 94 Stat. 848; 15 U.S.C. 631a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``SEC. 304. DEFINITIONS. ``In this title: ``(1) Antitrust violation.--The term `antitrust violation' means any violation of Federal antitrust laws. ``(2) Federal antitrust laws.--The term `Federal antitrust laws' has the meaning given the term `antitrust laws' in subsection (a) of the first section of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12(a)), except that such term shall also include section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45) to the extent that such section 5 applies to unfair methods of competition. ``(3) Small business.--The term `small business' has the meaning given the term `small business concern' under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). ``(4) Specified entity.--The term `specified entity' means-- ``(A) the Department of Justice; and ``(B) the Federal Trade Commission.''. <all>

• HR9714To limit the total number of schedule C and schedule G positions in the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
  Referred to Committee · 2026-07-15
• HR9530Quiet Skies Act
  Referred to Committee · 2026-06-29
• HR9484Water Reservoir Transparency Act
  Referred to Committee · 2026-06-25
• HR9483Clean Ports for Commerce Act
  Referred to Committee · 2026-06-25