Small Business Development Center Improvement Act of 1984
Public Law 98-395 · S. 1429 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 21, 1984 · Commerce
Sponsor: Sen. Lowell Weicker (R-CT)
Cosponsors (8): Sen. Samuel Nunn, Sen. Slade Gorton,
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Small Business Development Center Improvement Act of 1984 - Amends the Small Business Act to require that the term for grants under the Small Business Development Center program be based upon a calendar year or coincide with the Federal fiscal year. Provides that such program, pursuant to a negotiated cooperative agreement between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the applicant, shall deliver assistance to the small business community under the management and oversight of the SBA.
Requires as a condition to the award of any grant to assist in the establishment of small business development centers, that a matching amount equal to the grant amount be provided by non-Federal sources and be comprised of not less than 50 percent cash and not more than 50 percent of indirect costs and in-kind contributions.
Provides for the continuation of financial assistance to establish small business development centers under the Small Business Development Center program.
Requires the facilities and staff of each small business development center to be located in such places as to provide maximum accessibility and benefits to small businesses. Requires such centers to have a full-time director who shall have the authority to make expenditures under the center's budget.
Authorizes and directs the National Science Foundation to cooperate with the SBA and with small business development centers in developing and establishing programs to support such centers.
Requires the National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board to meet at least semiannually and at the call of the Chairman of the Board. (Currently, the Board is required to meet quarterly.) Requires each small business development center to establish an advisory board.
Requires the SBA, within six months of the date of enactment of this Act, to develop and implement a program for onsite evaluation of each small business development center. Requires such evaluation to be conducted at least once every two years (currently, such evaluations are conducted annually) and to provide for the participation of a representative of at least one other small business development center on a cost-reimbursement basis.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1985 and 1986 and every year thereafter for: (1) the small business development center program; (2) expenses of the National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board; and (3) reimbursement to small business development centers for participation in the evaluations of such centers.
Extends the Small Business Development Center program through October 1, 1990. Prohibits the SBA from funding any small business development center except as authorized by this Act.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.
- Aug 21, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-395.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 9, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 8, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Aug 6, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Aug 2, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-955 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-955 Filed in House.
- Aug 1, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference held.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conference held.
- May 23, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to request for conference. Appointed conferees. Weicker; Hatch; Boschwitz; Bumpers; Nunn.
- FloorFloor · Senate disagreed to the House amendments by Voice Vote.
- May 14, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Requested a Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Mitchell, Smith (IA), Addabbo, McDade, Conte.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Insisted on its Amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 17, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Nov 11, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
- Nov 1, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
- Jun 8, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.