{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1802", "Alford Bill to Provide Flexibility for SBA 504 Lending Passes House Small Business Committee", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Mark Alford", "A000379", "alford.house.gov", "alford", "https://alford.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Watch Congressman Alford\u2019s remarks in support of his legislation here or by clicking the image above.\n\n\u201cThe 504 loan is one of the most important tools we have to help small businesses make long-term investments in their future,\u201d said Congressman Alford. \u201cAs we work to bring manufacturing back to the United States and strengthen our domestic supply chains, demand for 504 financing is rising. This bill gives the SBA limited flexibility to meet that demand while maintaining congressional oversight. I\u2019m proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Representative Simon.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is part of a broader effort to expand access to SBA financing for small businesses and manufacturers. Congressman Alford\u2019s STRONG Act would increase maximum loan sizes in the SBA\u2019s 7(a) and 504 programs, while the Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act would further increase lending limits for small manufacturers seeking to purchase equipment, expand facilities, reshore production, and create jobs in the United States.\n\nThe 504 Program Level Flexibility Act now advances from the House Small Business Committee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1802"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9759869426488876, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}