NEW YORK (AP) — Small businesses will soon be able to get loans approved again by the federal government. The House has passed and sent to President Barack Obama a bill raising the lending authority for the Small Business Administration's biggest loan program, known as the 7(a) program. Loan approvals went on hold Thursday when the SBA reached its $18.75 billion annual limit for loan guarantees. The bill, approved earlier by the Senate, raises the lending limit to $23.5 billion. The SBA reached its annual limit with more than two months left in the government's fiscal year.