New Bill Proposes Boosting Loan Limits for U.S. Small Manufacturers, Aiming to Double Some Caps

A new piece of legislation, titled the "Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act of 2025," is on the table, and it's all about giving small U.S.-based manufacturers a potentially bigger financial toolkit. The core idea is to significantly raise the maximum loan amounts these businesses can get through programs managed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Specifically, it targets manufacturers in NAICS codes 31, 32, or 33 (think food, textiles, plastics, metal products, machinery, and more) whose production facilities are all located right here in the United States, as defined in Section 2 of the bill.

More Dough for Domestic Makers

So, what's actually changing if this bill moves forward? We're talking about some hefty increases in loan caps. Under Section 3, which amends the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)), the general maximum loan for these small manufacturers could jump from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000. There are also specific increases for different loan types. For instance, one common loan category could see its ceiling rise from $3,750,000 to $7,500,000. Another, which can cover working capital, supplies, or export financing, could go from a max of $4,500,000 up to $9,000,000, though there's an $8,000,000 sub-limit for those specific uses.

But that's not all. The bill also tweaks the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. Section 4 of this new act proposes to amend section 502(2)(A)(iii) of the existing law (15 U.S.C. 696(2)(A)(iii)), effectively bumping the loan limit for small manufacturers under that program from $5,500,000 to $10,000,000. This means more avenues for potentially larger sums of capital.

What This Could Mean on the Ground

If you're running a small U.S. factory making, say, specialized bike components or custom cabinetry, this could be a big deal. Need to invest in a new piece of cutting-edge machinery to keep up with demand or expand your product line? A higher loan limit might make that possible. Or perhaps you're looking to hire more skilled workers and need more working capital to cover payroll as you scale. These proposed changes aim to provide that extra financial breathing room.

The idea is pretty straightforward: give American manufacturers, especially the smaller ones that form the backbone of many local economies, better access to the funds they need to grow, innovate, and create jobs. By increasing these loan limits, the bill essentially allows the SBA and related investment programs to back bigger projects and support more substantial expansions for qualifying businesses. It’s a signal that there's an interest in making it easier for these companies to secure the kind of capital that can fuel significant development, all while keeping production stateside.