S 2777119th CongressIn Committee

Small Business RELIEF Act

Introduced: Sep 11, 2025

Economy & Taxes

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Small Business RELIEF Act would shield small business concerns from import duties that were imposed as part of a national emergency declared on April 2, 2025, and would require the President to refund any duties already paid on goods imported for or by such small business concerns. It uses the small business definition from the Small Business Act to determine who qualifies. In short, the bill would immediately exempt small businesses from those emergency-related duties and ensure refunds to any small-business importers who paid them, potentially easing the cost burden for small importers during a national emergency.

Key Points

1Exemption from duties for goods imported by or for the use of a small business concern, specifically those duties imposed under the national emergency declaration and related Executive Order 14257.
2Requirement that the President refund the amount of any duties paid on such goods within 90 days after enactment.
3Definition of “small business concern” tied to the standard in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
4The exemption and refunds apply to duties imposed pursuant to Executive Order 14257 (90 Fed. Reg. 15041) as part of the national emergency.
5Legislative status: introduced in the Senate (S. 2777) and referred to the Committee on Finance; no further action indicated in the text provided.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Small business importers and small businesses that rely on imported goods.Secondary group/area affected: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (enforcement and processing of refunds) and the Department of the Treasury (funds for refunds), plus entities involved in duty collection during national emergencies.Additional impacts: Potential loss of federal revenue from duties, administrative costs and required processes to issue refunds, and possible implications for supply chains, pricing, and incentives for future import decisions during emergencies.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 8, 2025