NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERSHIP AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT

On 2026-04-27, Representative Mike Carey (R-OH-15) delivered a floor speech titled "NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERSHIP AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT" in the House. The speech addressed the economy and also covered trade policy. It referenced legislation: HR6431.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERSHIP AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 73 (Monday, April 27, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 73 (Monday, April 27, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3114-H3115] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERSHIP AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT Mr. CAREY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6431) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the rules governing the State administration of self-employment assistance programs, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6431 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 ``New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act''. SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF RULES GOVERNING STATE ADMINISTRATION OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. (a) Elimination of Requirement That Participants Are Likely to Exhaust Regular Unemployment Compensation.--Section 3306(t)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively. (b) Modification of Requirement To Participate in Self- Employment Assistance Activities.--Section 3306(t)(3)(B) of such Code, as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended to read as follows: ``(B) are participating in self-employment assistance activities which are approved by the State agency and either-- ``(i) include entrepreneurial training, business counseling, and technical assistance; or ``(ii) are performed pursuant to a business plan and market feasibility study submitted by the individual and approved by the State or an agency designated by the State; and''. (c) Weekly Certification Requirement.--Section 3306(t)(3)(C) of such Code, as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by inserting ``and are certifying such activities on at least a weekly basis to an agency designated by the State'' before the semicolon at the end. (d) Adjustment of Limitation on Number of Individuals Participating.--Section 3306(t)(4) of such Code is amended by striking ``5'' and inserting ``10''. (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply beginning on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, except that nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prevent a State from amending its law before the end of the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. (f) Issuance of Regulations.--The Secretary of Labor shall, after public notice and comment and subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget, adopt regulations to administer this Act. (g) Issuance of Guidance.--The Secretary of Labor shall provide guidance to State workforce agencies that includes-- (1) a model list of self-employment assistance activities that fulfill requirements of the program under section 3306(t) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and (2) best practices for verification of completion of such activities. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Carey) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. general leave Mr. CAREY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? There was no objection. {time} 1650 Mr. CAREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my bill, which is H.R. 6431, the New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self- Sufficiency Act, also known as the NO BOSS Act. This bill is a product of bipartisan work across the aisle, and I thank my dear friend and colleague from Cincinnati, Representative Greg Landsman, for co-leading this legislation with me. The NO BOSS Act makes small tweaks to the Self-Employment Assistance, or SEA, Program to support unemployed workers who decide to create their own next jobs. The SEA Program is voluntary for all States. It allows qualified unemployment insurance claimants to collect an allowance to support their efforts to establish a business in lieu of regular unemployment compensation. [[Page H3115]] Small businesses are the backbone of our Nation's economy. For many Americans, owning their own business is the embodiment of the American Dream. The NO BOSS Act supports these pursuits by increasing the percentage of individuals who can participate in the SEA Program from 5 percent to 10 percent. It also eliminates the requirement that a participant must be likely to exhaust their unemployment compensation benefits in order to qualify. Entrepreneurship should not be a last resort for those who are unable to find any other form of employment. Rather, self-employment should be encouraged and, indeed, practiced. These two changes expand the eligibility and the opportunity to participate in the SEA Program for more unemployment insurance claimants. Finally, the NO BOSS Act strengthens the SEA Program by requiring States to certify participation in the self-employment assistance activities weekly and adding new participation activities. Currently, self-employment activities include entrepreneurial training, business consulting, and technical assistance. This bill adds submitting a business plan or market feasibility study for approval by the State to that list. In January, the NO BOSS Act passed out of the Ways and Means Committee unanimously by a vote of 41-0. It is important to get this bill signed into law because the SEA Program is underutilized. The bill is a great example of how government can support, enable, and foster more entrepreneurship in a meaningful way. Entrepreneurship empowers Americans from all backgrounds at all stages of their professional careers. New businesses create jobs for members of their communities and strengthen our economy. The NO BOSS Act is pro-small business and pro-self-starter. Mr. Speaker, I thank Leader Scalise, Chairman Jason Smith, and Ranking Member Neal for their support in advancing this legislation. I encourage all of the Members to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan, commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the NO BOSS Act, legislation from my good friend and colleague, Representative Mike Carey. I also acknowledge his co-lead on the bill, Representative Greg Landsman. This bill is a demonstration of what neighbors and neighboring congressional Members can do together in a bipartisan fashion. The NO BOSS Act would give workers the choice to use their unemployment insurance weeks, as necessary, to build their businesses, rather than being locked into job searches that don't fit their skills, their needs, or their potential. Mr. Speaker, most businesses are small businesses. Nationwide, more than 80 percent, or nearly 30 million small businesses, are a solo venture, meaning they have no employees. The second most common type of business still has fewer than 20 total employees. According to a Census in 2022, those solo-venture businesses contributed more than $1.7 trillion, or almost 7 percent, to the U.S. economy. The one thing that all businesses have in common is that they are all started with a good idea and a founder with the time and commitment to develop that business. Under the Self-Employment Assistance program, Americans using unemployment insurance can use their unemployment insurance weeks to start a business. The cost is negligible to the government since it is offered in lieu of normal benefits. Unfortunately, there are only five States that offer such a program, and participants are unnecessarily restricted. That is why the NO BOSS Act would expand this program by doubling the number of people who can use it and let workers opt in earlier, instead of requiring them to wait until they have nearly exhausted their benefits. To be clear, Mr. Speaker, this is not a blank check. Participants must follow an approved training or business plan. There must be a feasibility study, and they must certify weekly so that States can verify their progress. The NO BOSS Act would simply make commonsense updates to a commonsensical program. It is a bipartisan effort, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Ohio ask unanimous consent to reclaim his time? Mr. CAREY: Yes. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized. There was no objection. Mr. CAREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, what better way to put more Americans back to work than to foster and encourage entrepreneurial spirit. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this commonsense legislation. As stated before, the NO BOSS Act would remove red tape and make simple, bipartisan updates to an existing program that works. By giving Americans the option to develop their skills and to go to work for themselves, we can improve our unemployment system and opportunities for all American workers. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Carey) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6431, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspend

Referenced legislation: HR6431, HR6431