Bill · H.R. 8882· House(119-HR-8882)
Main Street Competes Act
- Introduced
- 5/19/2026
- Last activity
- 6/24/2026 — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Hillary Scholten
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 1
- Introduced
- Passed House
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Main Street Competes Act amends the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980. It changes the congressional declaration to promote competitive markets, consumer choice, and business ownership through the enforcement of Federal antitrust laws. The bill requires specific entities, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, to submit reports regarding their enforcement of antitrust laws. These reports must analyze how such enforcement promoted competition and details the number of complaints and investigations handled. Finally, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy must submit a subsequent report to House and Senate committees including an analysis and potential recommendations.
Yes· 3 of 4
Would business owners be better off under this?+7
The bill specifically targets the promotion of business ownership and the protection of small business growth through antitrust enforcement.
Does this make it easier to run a small business?+6
The bill requires federal agencies to report on how antitrust enforcement promotes competition and the growth of small businesses.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The bill mandates detailed reporting by the DOJ and FTC regarding their antitrust enforcement and handling of small business complaints.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Promotion of Competition and Choice: The bill updates the congressional declaration to specifically promote competitive markets, consumer choice, and business ownership through the enforcement of Federal antitrust laws (Section 2).
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Increased Oversight of Antitrust Enforcement: Specified entities, such as the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, must provide detailed reports on how their enforcement of laws deterred and remedied anticompetitive conduct and illegal mergers that harm small businesses (Section 3(a)(1)).
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Better Tracking of Small Business Complaints: The bill requires the tracking of the number of complaints filed by self-identified small businesses, as well as inquiries and investigations undertaken in response to those complaints (Section 3(a)(2)-(3)).
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Identification of Growth Barriers: The Chief Counsel for Advocacy is tasked with evaluating issues relating to anticompetitive conduct and illegal mergers that harm the growth of small businesses (Section 3(b)(3)).
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Actionable Recommendations: The bill allows for the creation of recommendations for both administrative and legislative actions intended to promote competition and remedy anticompetitive conduct (Section 3(b)(4)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+6Improves Consumer Protection+3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+7
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5
- 6/24/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 6/23/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4149-4150)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4149-4150)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8882.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4149-4151)
- Mr. Williams (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 6/3/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 119-682.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 595.
- 5/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/20/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 0.
- 5/19/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Maggie GoodlanderDemocrat · New Hampshire
Derek SchmidtRepublican · Kansas