Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 12, 2020

Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

This bill expands the availability of Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance for rural small businesses.

Currently, the declaration of a disaster by the SBA is contingent upon a certain number of homes or businesses being damaged or economically injured (e.g., at least 25 homes or 25 businesses are damaged). The bill authorizes the SBA to declare a disaster in a rural area if any home, small business, private nonprofit, or small agricultural cooperative located in such area has incurred significant damage.

The bill defines a rural area as an area with a population of less than 200,000 outside an urbanized area.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] · R–ID

Committees

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Feb 12, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Feb 12, 2020
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Feb 12, 2020 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

S 1617 · Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.3278 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3278, 116th Congress: Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3278

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s3278/BILLS-116s3278is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:08:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.3278 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.3278 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3278, 116th Congress: Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3278

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s3278/BILLS-116s3278is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:08:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.3278 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.3278 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3278, 116th Congress: Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3278

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s3278/BILLS-116s3278is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:08:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.3278 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.3278 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3278, 116th Congress: Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3278

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s3278/BILLS-116s3278is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:08:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.3278 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.