PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 1, 2020
Helping Entrepreneurs Access Loans Act or the HEAL Act
This bill establishes eligibility and provides funding for Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans and advance grants for eligible small businesses.
Eligible small businesses are those that (1) are located in an area in which the SBA declared a disaster due to civil unrest occurring between May 26, 2020, and July 1, 2020; (2) incurred damage due to such civil unrest; and (3) have average annual gross receipts of $2 million or less.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Such small businesses shall be eligible to receive forgivable loans and advance grants under the SBA's disaster loan program. Such loans shall be equal to 100% of the amount required to repair, rehabilitate, or replace property that was damaged or destroyed due to civil unrest and that was not compensated for by insurance, state or local government grants, or any other means. An applicant may also request an advance of up to $10,000 on such loan.
Further, a recipient shall be eligible for forgiveness of 75% of such loan if they are still in operation on December 31, 2021, and have submitted specified documentation related to sales and taxes paid.
Additionally, the SBA shall waive certain loan requirements such as (1) personal guarantees, (2) inability to obtain credit elsewhere, and (3) provision of collateral.
People & committees
Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA] · R–PA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
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.
Analyze S.4135 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.
Examine S.4135 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.
Examine S.4135 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.
Examine S.4135 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.