July 10, 2025
Mr. Markey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
To amend the Small Business Act to prohibit certain offices of the Small Business Administration from undertaking a reduction in force, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Save Our Staff Act of 2025
or the SOS Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Reductions in force at SBA offices
The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating section 49 (15 U.S.C. 631 note) as section 50; and
(2)
by inserting after section 48 (15 U.S.C. 657u) the following:
49. Reductions in force
(a) Definition
In this section, the term covered office means an office of the Administration that—
(1)
provides counseling, training, or technical assistance to entrepreneurs or owners of small business concerns (or oversees the provision of such counseling, training, or technical assistance);
(2)
provides oversight of any lending program of the Administration;
(3)
carries out any disaster relief program of the Administration; or
(4)
provides contracting certifications with respect to small business concerns.
(b) Prohibition
Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, no covered office may, on or after the date of enactment of the Save Our Staff Act of 2025, undertake a reduction in force with respect to employees of the covered office.
Sec. 3. Re-employment of removed SBA employees
(a) In general
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall re-employ each employee of the Administration who was removed as part of a reduction in force carried out during the period beginning on January 20, 2025, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Status of re-Employed individuals
Each individual re-employed under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
be appointed to the same position occupied by the individual, and shall be paid at the same rate of basic pay, as of the date on which the individual was removed, as described in that subsection; and
(2)
receive back pay with respect to the period beginning on the date on which the individual was removed, as described in that subsection, and ending on the date on which the individual is so re-employed.