U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, recently announced two bills he is sponsoring passed out of the House Financial Services Committee and House Small Business Committee.

According to a news release, Meuser’s bill ensures transparency and limits abuse of regulatory “guidance” by requiring financial agencies to include a clear disclaimer on the first page of any guidance document. This disclaimer must state that such guidance does not carry the force of law and that noncompliance does not constitute a legal violation.

“As we saw during Operation Chokepoint 2.0, Biden regulators have quietly used informal guidance to pressure banks into blacklisting lawful industries — from crypto to firearms dealers,” said Meuser during committee remarks. “This legislation takes a commonsense step to prevent that kind of abuse. Guidance should clarify — not coerce. It’s time we made clear that only Congress sets the law, not unelected regulators.”

The bill defines “guidance” as non-binding financial agency statements of general applicability and outlines nine federal financial agencies subject to the new requirement, including the Federal Reserve, FDIC, SEC and CFPB, the news release said.

“We’ve already passed bipartisan legislation like the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act to support fair, transparent regulation of emerging industries,” Meuser said, according to the news release. “The SAFE Guidance Act builds on that by ensuring regulators don’t undermine congressional intent through back channels.”

The bill passed in committee 26 to 23 and now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

A second news release from Meuser’s office describes the second bill as “bipartisan legislation (that) expands access to capital for small businesses — especially those operating in rural or underserved areas, manufacturing, or the critical technology sector.”

Small-business investment companies, the news release said, represent one of the most successful federal public-private partnerships. These entities use private capital, which the Small Business Administration matches with government-backed leverage, to invest directly in small businesses.

“Crucially, the SBIC program operates at no subsidy cost to the American taxpayer,” the news release said.

Meuser’s legislation allows investments in rural and low-income areas, manufacturing, and critical technologies to be excluded from an SBIC’s leverage cap — making more capital available to businesses in these key sectors. It also restores an inflation adjustment for SBIC leverage limits, ensuring the program’s strength keeps pace with market conditions.

Manufacturing remains a vital part of America’s economic foundation, with 99% of manufacturers classified as small businesses. By enhancing the SBIC Program, this bill helps small manufacturers modernize, scale, and create high-quality jobs in communities across the country, according to the news release.

“As someone who spent more than 20 years helping grow a small business into a larger business, I know how difficult it can be to access capital,” Meuser said, according to the second news release. “This legislation helps drive investment dollars into the hands of small businesses that need them most, without placing any added burden on taxpayers. It’s about empowering entrepreneurs, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and fueling long-term growth in communities that have too often been overlooked.

“I’m pleased this bill is moving forward with bipartisan support, and I encourage my colleagues to help get it across the finish line,” he said.

The second bill passed out of the House Small Business Committee by a vote of 23-0. The legislation now moves forward for consideration by the full House of Representatives.