The 2026 SBIR/STTR reauthorization bill (S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act) has cleared Congress and is now awaiting final action by the President. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent on March 3, 2026. The House subsequently approved the Senate-passed measure on March 17, 2026, by a vote of 345–41. Because the House adopted the Senate version without amendment, the bill moved straight to enrollment, where the final official copy is prepared for signature before being sent to the White House.
The Bill was formally presented to the President on April 2, 2026. Under the Constitution’s ten-day rule, the bill will become law on April 14,2026 if the President simply takes no action within ten days (excluding Sundays) while Congress remains in session. This scenario is in play because the President has indicated that he may decline to sign any legislation until the SAVE act is enacted. Of course, the President may sign or veto the bill before the deadline. However, S.3971 has such strong bipartisan support that a veto seems unlikely.