PREPARE Act

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

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 24, 2020

Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises Act or the PREPARE Act

This bill permanently reauthorizes the pre-disaster mitigation loan program of the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Under this program, the SBA may loan up to $500,000 in a 12-month period to small businesses so that such businesses may use mitigation techniques to protect their commercial real estate, equipment, inventory, supplies, and materials from damages related to disasters.

The SBA must submit a report on the program that includes information such as (1) the geographic areas in which loan recipients are located, (2) the number and dollar value of loans made, and (3) the estimated aggregate value resulting from the use of funded mitigation techniques.

The bill also authorizes the SBA to increase the amount of a disaster loan by up to 30% of the aggregate costs of any damage or destruction to enable a business to take mitigating measures that protect from possible future disasters.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] · R–FL

Committees

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

6 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Sep 24, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Sep 24, 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 · Sep 24, 2020 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

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

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Objective

Analyze S.4699 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.

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Discuss S.4699, 116th Congress: PREPARE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4699

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s4699/BILLS-116s4699is.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.4699 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.4699 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.

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Discuss S.4699, 116th Congress: PREPARE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4699

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s4699/BILLS-116s4699is.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.4699 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.4699 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.4699, 116th Congress: PREPARE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4699

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s4699/BILLS-116s4699is.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.4699 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.4699 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.4699, 116th Congress: PREPARE Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4699

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2020-09-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s4699/BILLS-116s4699is.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.4699 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.