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White House Conference on Small Business Authorization Act

Public Law 101-409 · H.R. 4773 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 5, 1990 · Commerce

Sponsor: Rep. John LaFalce (D-NY-32)

Cosponsors (16): Rep. Silvio Conte,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

White House Conference on Small Business Authorization Act - Directs the President to conduct a National White House Conference on Small Business by a specified deadline under the direction of the White House Conference on Small Business Commission (established by this Act) in order to: (1) increase public awareness of the contributions of small business; (2) identify small business problems; (3) examine the status of minority and women small business owners; (4) assist small business in carrying out its role as the nation's job creator; (5) develop specific recommendations for executive and legislative action; and (6) review the status of recommendations adopted at the preceding Conferences.

Prohibits the Commission from accepting any gifts of money from any source. Mandates that fees or charges collected under this Act be used solely to pay for Conference participants' meals and to defray the expense of meeting rooms. Requires the Commission to maintain a receipts and disbursements record according to specified guidelines.

Establishes the White House Conference on Small Business Commission, which shall be responsible for the National Conference and for its final report to the President and the Congress.

Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and the Chief Counsel for Advocacy to provide planning and administrative assistance for the Conference. Directs the Administrator to prescribe financial controls and accounting procedures for fees and charges received by the Commission and for Commission payment of authorized meal and meeting room expenses.

Directs the Commission to establish procedures whereby a Conference delegate may petition for reimbursement of Conference expenses that would constitute a financial burden. Restricts such reimbursement to: (1) transportation, meals and lodging; and (2) the rates provided Federal employees who travel to Washington, D.C. on official business.

Directs the Commission to: (1) provide to the Small Business Administration a separate accounting for such reimbursed expenses (and a final financial report and all financial records); and (2) deposit in the Treasury any unexpended monies which were collected as fees and charges.

Requires the Small Business Administration to report annually to the Congress for the next three years on the status and implementation of Conference recommendations.

Authorizes appropriations.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.

  1. Oct 5, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-409.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 26, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 18, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Sep 10, 1990FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Skelton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Aug 4, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Small Business Committee
  9. Jul 27, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Small Business Committee
  10. Jun 14, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Small Business Committee
  11. May 9, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Small Business Committee
  12. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.