Congress · Laws

An act to amend section 8(a) of the Small Business Act.

Public Law 98-47 · S. 273 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jul 13, 1983 · Commerce

Sponsor: Sen. Lowell Weicker (R-CT)

Cosponsors (2): Sen. Jeremiah Denton, Sen. Spark Matsunaga

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 367 yea, 6 nay367–6
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.

Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the President to designate, within 60 days of the enactment of this Act, the agency (other than the Department of Defense) with which a Government procurement contract shall be made by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the provisions pursuant to which contracts are performed through subcontracts with socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. Prohibits the SBA from entering into such a contract prior to October 1, 1983, or after September 30, 1985.

Provides that the Administrator's authority to waive any bond that may be required for a small business concern to receive a subcontract under this Act may not be exercised prior to October 1, 1983, or after September 30, 1985.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 367 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

367 yea6 nay60 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(224)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Sala BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-18
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Gus SavageD-IL-2
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-6
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-16
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-20
Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
Rep. Katie HallD-IN-1
Rep. Major OwensD-NY-12
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. George CrockettD-MI-13
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Geraldine FerraroD-NY-9
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-8
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-21
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-22
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-19
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. Harry ReidD-NV-1
Rep. Douglas BoscoD-CA-1
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-34
Rep. James McNultyD-AZ-5
Rep. Jim BatesD-CA-44
Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Robert MrazekD-NY-3
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-6
Rep. Edward FeighanD-OH-19
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD
Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-1
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Charles BrittD-NC-6
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-14
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Robin TallonD-SC-6
Rep. Royden DysonD-MD-1
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-23
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE
Rep. Buddy MacKayD-FL-6
Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. William PatmanD-TX-14
Rep. Tommy VandergriffD-TX-26
Rep. Richard ShelbyD-AL-7
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Richard RayD-GA-3
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Buddy RoemerD-LA-4

Republicans who voted yea(143)

Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-17
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
Rep. John McKernanR-ME-1
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-4
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. David MartinR-NY-26
Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-14
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
Rep. Thomas EvansR-IA-3
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. George WortleyR-NY-27
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-12
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. William CarneyR-NY-1
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. Bobbi FiedlerR-CA-21
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Edwin ZschauR-CA-12
Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-13
Rep. John McCainR-AZ-1
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Hal DaubR-NE-2
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-20
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-14
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Eugene ChappieR-CA-2
Rep. Mark SiljanderR-MI-4
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
Rep. Kenneth KramerR-CO-5
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. Hank BrownR-CO-4
Rep. Steve BartlettR-TX-3
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Connie MackR-FL-13
Rep. Larry CraigR-ID-1
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-24
Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-42
Rep. Howard NielsonR-UT-3
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Phil GrammR-TX-6
Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. Denny SmithR-OR-5

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 225 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.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by

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. 22 actions.

Jul 13, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-47.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Jul 1, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Jun 30, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 367 - 6 (Record Vote No: 236).House roll call 236
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 367 - 6 (Record Vote No: 236).House roll call 236
Jun 27, 1983Resolving 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.
Jun 23, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-262 Filed in House.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-262 Filed in House.
Jun 22, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Apr 12, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Mitchell, Smith (IA), Addabbo, LaFalce, Wyden, Eckart, Savage, Luken, McDade, Conte, Broomfield, Williams (OH).
Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Insisted on its Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
Mar 11, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate disagreed to House amendments, requested a conference and appointed conferees. Weicker; Boschwitz; Pressler; Nunn; Levin.
Feb 15, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
Feb 3, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Feb 2, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
Jan 27, 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.

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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.