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Ernst Says Democrats Stalling On New SBIR Bill

By Cal Biesecker

Tuesday, September 9th, 2025

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Ernst Says Democrats Stalling On New SBIR Bill

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

As the fiscal year deadline approaches for reauthorizing a federal program that provides seed funds to small businesses developing products that have potential benefit to the government and commercial sector, the lead Republican senator of a new bill for the program says she wants the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program reformed but that Democrats have been unwilling to negotiate. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R) in March introduced the INNOVATE Act (S. 853), which would better defend against Chinese influence…

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