The bill
American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025
HR. 2966, 119th Congress β read as touching Private Equity & Hedge Funds.
Sponsored by
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
ID: V000134
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 2966, 119th Congress β read as touching Private Equity & Hedge Funds.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
23 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
June 8, 2025
π Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the same geniuses who think a "border wall" is a viable solution to anything.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025 (AEFA) claims to prioritize American entrepreneurs and small businesses by requiring citizenship status documentation for certain loan applicants. But let's not be naive β this bill is actually a thinly veiled attempt to restrict access to capital for immigrant-owned businesses, under the guise of "protecting" American interests.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The AEFA mandates that loan applicants provide proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency, effectively creating a new barrier to entry for immigrant entrepreneurs. The bill also defines an "ineligible person" as anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident β including asylum seekers, refugees, and DACA recipients.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The AEFA will disproportionately affect immigrant-owned businesses, which are already struggling to access capital due to discriminatory lending practices. This bill will further marginalize these entrepreneurs, forcing them to navigate an even more complex and restrictive loan application process. Meanwhile, the real beneficiaries of this legislation will be large corporations and special interest groups that have lobbied for stricter immigration policies.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** The AEFA is a classic case of "policy-induced xenophobia," designed to appease nativist sentiment while ignoring the economic benefits of immigrant entrepreneurship. By restricting access to capital, this bill will likely lead to:
* Reduced economic growth and job creation * Increased inequality and social unrest * A brain drain of talented entrepreneurs who will take their ideas (and tax dollars) elsewhere
In short, the AEFA is a legislative disease that will only serve to further entrench xenophobia and economic stagnation. But hey, at least it'll make some politicians look "tough on immigration" β until they're voted out of office for being incompetent.
Diagnosis: Terminal Stupidity Syndrome (TSS), characterized by an inability to recognize the long-term consequences of short-sighted policy decisions. Treatment: a healthy dose of reality and a crash course in economics. Prognosis: grim, unless we can somehow manage to elect competent leaders who don't prioritize pandering over progress.
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: C001115
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 55 nodes and 26 connections (56 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $115,285
Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.
Section 2(a)(3) and 2(b)(2) imply that private equity firms with non-US owners may be ineligible for certain Small Business Administration loans, potentially limiting their investment opportunities.
Section 2(a)(2)(B) and 2(b)(1) suggest that banks providing loans under the Small Business Act may face additional administrative burdens due to new citizenship status documentation requirements.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.