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An original bill to provide authorizations for the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

Public Law 96-302 · S. 2698 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jul 2, 1980 · Commerce

Sponsor: Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-WI)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 210 yea, 193 nay210–193
  • SenateRecorded vote: 91 yea, 2 nay91–2
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.

=Title I: Authorizations and Miscellaneous Amendments= - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program levels, including salaries and expenses, for fiscal years 1981 through 1984. Authorizes necessary appropriations for fiscal year 1985 and thereafter for general SBA programs which do not require specific authorizations.

Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to: (1) repeal the authority of the SBA to invest temporarily idle funds in the surety bond guarantees revolving fund; and (2) grant authority to invest such funds in the pollution control guarantee revolving fund.

Amends such Act to permit the SBA to guarantee debentures issued by an eligible State or local development company. Limits the amount of such debentures to one-half of the project cost, the other half of such cost being supplied from non-Federal Government sources. Requires any such debenture-issuing company to have a full-time professional staff, professional management ability, and a regularly-meeting, decision-making board of directors or membership.

Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of SBA to transfer to participating lending institutions authority to determine eligibility and creditworthiness with respect to deferred participation loans, and to monitor, collect, and liquidate such loans.

Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to make a technical correction to the provision regarding surety bond guarantees.

Amends the Small Business Act to allow both for-profit and not-for-profit small businesses owned by handicapped individuals and sheltered workshops employing the handicapped to participate in the SBA procurement set-aside program. Limits such eligibility to fiscal years 1981 through 1983, and to an aggregate annual amount of $100,000,000. Directs the Administrator to monitor and evaluate such participation. Requires the Administrator to direct every Federal agency and department having procurement authority to take appropriate alleviating actions whenever the Administrator and the Executive Director of the Committee for the Purchase from the Blind and Severely Handicapped find that participation in such procurement programs by not-for-profit organizations has or may cause severe economic injury to for-profit businesses. Requires a report by the Administrator to the appropriate Congressional committees by January 1, 1982, concerning the impact on for-profit small businesses of Federal procurement contracts awarded to not-for-profit organizations of the handicapped.

Revises the priorities for the small business set-aside Federal procurement programs to give top priority to small business concerns located in labor surplus areas. Removes the existing termination date, thus extending such programs indefinitely.

Makes Asian Pacific Americans eligible for specified SBA remedial business development programs, including specialized management and technical assistance and procurement assistance.

Sets a $500,000 limit on a disaster loan to a borrower for each disaster, waivable at the SBA's discretion only if the borrower is a major source of employment in the disaster area. Requires a business concern which can obtain sufficient credit elsewhere to pay on such a loan up to the market rate of interest for United States obligations. Requires an agricultural enterprise seeking such a loan to apply first to the Farmers Home Administration.

Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize up to $500,000 in disaster loans to a borrower for each disaster. Requires an interest rate: (1) of up to five percent for a borrower unable to obtain sufficient credit elsewhere; and (2) of up to the market rate on United States obligations for a borrower who is able to obtain credit elsewhere.

Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the availability of energy shortage loans to small business concerns injured by a shortage of any energy source, including coal, unless the shortage is caused by a strike, boycott or embargo directly against such concern.

Prohibits a small business which intentionally adulterates its product in order to take advantage of the product disaster loan program from receiving a product disaster loan.

States that no State disaster relief grant to a small business concern made on or before July 1, 1979, shall be considered compensation that would preclude eligibility for Federal disaster assistance under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974.

Authorizes the SBA to borrow adequate United States Treasury funds for the disaster loan program, subject to either: (1) the appropriation of budget authority; or (2) an express limitation on the amount of notes SBA may sell to the Treasury.

=Title II: Small Business Development Centers= - Small Business Development Center Act of 1980 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the SBA to make matching grants to any State government or agency, regional entity, State-chartered development, credit, or finance organization, or public or private institution of higher learning to defray 50 percent of the cost of developing and operating a small business development center (SBDC) program. Limits in-kind contributions from non-Federal sources to no more than 50 percent of all non-Federal contributions. Limits the amount of any grant to the greater of: (1) $200,000; or (2) a pro-rata share of a $65,000,000 program based upon the population to be served by the SBDC as compared to the total population of the United States.

Requires such centers to assist small businesses in solving problems concerning operations, manufacturing, engineering, technology exchange and development, personnel administration, marketing, sales, merchandising, finance, accounting, business strategy development, and other necessary matters. Specifies types of services. Requires such centers to utilize for such services small business vendors, including private management consultants, private consulting engineers, and private testing laboratories.

Requires the National Science Foundation funded innovation centers and National Aeronautics and Space Administration industrial application centers to cooperate with SBDCs in their activities, and to report annually to Congress and to the SBA on the performance of such SBDCs.

Directs the Administrator to appoint a Deputy Associate Administrator for Management Assistance to administer the SBDC program. Establishes a National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board. Authorizes each State SBDC to appoint a local advisory board.

Directs the SBA to submit to the appropriate Congressional committees by January 31, 1983, an evaluation of the SBDC program and its impact on small businesses and the socio-economic base of the regions served.

Limits the funding of any SBDC to $300,000 for fiscal year 1981. Terminates funding of SBDCs as of October 1, 1981.

Terminates the over-all SBDC program on October 1, 1984.

=Title III: Small Business Economic Policy= - Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 - Directs the President to transmit to Congress by January 20 of each year a Report on Small Business and Competition examining the current role of small business in the economy on an industry-by-industry basis. Specifies general contents of such Report. Requires an appendix reporting by agency and department on the total dollar value of all Federal contracts exceeding $10,000 and the dollar amount (including subcontracts in excess of $10,000) awarded to small, minority-owned and female-owned businesses.

=Title IV: Small Business Economic Research and Analysis= - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator to establish and maintain an economic data base on small business and to report annually a comparative analysis and interpretation of the historical trends of the small business sector. Requires publication of national and, to the extent feasible, regional small business economic indices including employment, business, sales, capital investment, inventory, debt to equity, export, merger, and other related data.

Permits no more than ten employees at any one time to be compensated at a maximum rate of GS-15, step 10, of the General Schedule.

Establishes the Office of the Chief Counsel for Advocacy at executive level IV.

Directs the Federal Reserve Board, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to work with SBA and the Census Bureau in undertaking studies to determine the credit needs of small business and to what extent such needs are being met. Requires a report to Congress of the results of such studies by January 1, 1982.

=Title V: Employee Ownership= - Small Business Employee Ownership Act of 1980 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the SBA to make loan guarantees available to an employee trust that is part of an employee stock ownership plan for investment in qualifying employer securities. Requires such investment to result in majority ownership of a small business concern by such employee trust.

Directs the Administrator to study and report to the appropriate Congressional committees not later than April 1, 1981, about the feasibility of making loan guarantees directly to the seller of a small business concern in connection with the installment sale of such concern.

Who voted for it

Every senator of the 96th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 92 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

92 yea2 nay6 present or did not vote

Dimension 2
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(53)

  • Sen. Gaylord NelsonD-WI
  • Sen. Howard MetzenbaumD-OH
  • Sen. Paul TsongasD-MA
  • Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
  • Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE
  • Sen. John CulverD-IA
  • Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV
  • Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
  • Sen. Paul SarbanesD-MD
  • Sen. Spark MatsunagaD-HI
  • Sen. Donald RiegleD-MI
  • Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
  • Sen. George MitchellD-ME
  • Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
  • Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
  • Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
  • Sen. Abraham RibicoffD-CT
  • Sen. Birch BayhD-IN
  • Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
  • Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
  • Sen. Carl LevinD-MI
  • Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
  • Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI
  • Sen. Gary HartD-CO
  • Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
  • Sen. Max BaucusD-MT
  • Sen. John DurkinD-NH
  • Sen. Donald StewartD-AL
  • Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
  • Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
  • Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT
  • Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
  • Sen. Frank ChurchD-ID
  • Sen. James SasserD-TN
  • Sen. John GlennD-OH
  • Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
  • Sen. John MelcherD-MT
  • Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
  • Sen. Robert MorganD-NC
  • Sen. Herman TalmadgeD-GA
  • Sen. James ExonD-NE
  • Sen. Dennis DeConciniD-AZ
  • Sen. David PryorD-AR
  • Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
  • Sen. John StennisD-MS
  • Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
  • Sen. Russell LongD-LA
  • Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
  • Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL
  • Sen. Dick StoneD-FL
  • Sen. David BorenD-OK
  • Sen. Edward ZorinskyD-NE
  • Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA

Republicans who voted yea(39)

  • Sen. Jacob JavitsR-NY
  • Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
  • Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
  • Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
  • Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
  • Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
  • Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
  • Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
  • Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
  • Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
  • Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
  • Sen. John DanforthR-MO
  • Sen. William CohenR-ME
  • Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
  • Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
  • Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
  • Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
  • Sen. Thad CochranR-MS
  • Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
  • Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
  • Sen. John WarnerR-VA
  • Sen. Ted StevensR-AK
  • Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
  • Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
  • Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
  • Sen. Harrison SchmittR-NM
  • Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
  • Sen. John TowerR-TX
  • Sen. Roger JepsenR-IA
  • Sen. Richard LugarR-IN
  • Sen. Samuel HayakawaR-CA
  • Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY
  • Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT
  • Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
  • Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
  • Sen. James McClureR-ID
  • Sen. William ArmstrongR-CO
  • Sen. Gordon HumphreyR-NH
  • Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
Data notes

The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 722 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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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. 21 actions.

  1. Jul 2, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-302.
  3. Jun 24, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Jun 19, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded from its amendment.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #346 (210-193).House roll call 346
  8. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #346 (210-193).House roll call 346
  9. Jun 17, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #214 (91-2).Senate roll call 214
  10. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #214 (91-2).Senate roll call 214
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to recommit conference report to Committee of Conference with instructions rejected in Senate, roll call #213 (34-59).Senate roll call 213
  12. Jun 12, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1087.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1087.
  14. Jun 4, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
  15. Jun 3, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
  16. FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 7297.
  17. FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
  18. May 28, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #158 (83-2).Senate roll call 158
  19. FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
  20. May 14, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.