White House Conference on Small Business Authorization Act
PL 98-276 (H.R.5298), enacted 05/08/1984

PUBLIC LAW 98-276—MAY 8, 1984 
98 STAT. 169 
Public Law 98-276 
98th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for a White House Conference on Small Business. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "White House Conference on Small Business Author-
ization Act". 
AUTHORIZATION OF CONFERENCE 
SEC. 2. (a) The President shall call and conduct a National White 
House Conference on Small Business (hereinafter referred to as the 
"Conference") not earlier than January 1, 1985, and not later than 
September 1,1986, to carry out the purposes described in section 3 of 
this Act. The Conference shall be preceded by State and regional 
conferences with at least one such conference being held in each 
State. 
(b) Participants in the Conference and other interested individuals 
and organizations, are authorized to conduct conferences and other 
activities at the State and regional levels prior to the date of the 
Conference, subject to the approval of the Administrator of the 
Small Business Administration, and shall direct such conferences 
and activities toward the consideration of the purposes of the Con-
ference described in section 3 of this Act in order to prepare for the 
National Conference. 
May 8, 1984 
[H.R. 5298] 
White House 
Conference on 
Small Business 
Authorization 
Act. 
15 u s e 631 note. 
15 u s e 631 note. 
State and local 
governments. 
PURPOSE OF CONFERENCE 
SEC. 3. The purpose of the Conference shall be to increase public 
awareness of the essential contribution of small business; to identify 
the problems of small business; to examine the status of minorities 
and women as small business owners; to assist small business in 
carrying out its role as the Nation's job creator; to assemble small 
businesses to develop such specific and comprehensive recommenda-
tions for executive and legislative action as may be appropriate for 
maintaining and encouraging the economic viability of small busi-
ness and, thereby, the Nation; and to review the status of recom-
mendations adopted at the 1980 White House Conference on Small 
Business. 
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS 
SEC. 4. (a) In order to carry out the purposes specified in section 3 
of this Act, the Conference shall bring together individuals con-
cerned with issues relating to small business: Provided, That no 
small business concern representative may be denied admission to 
any State or regional conference, nor may any fee or charge be 
imposed on any small business concern representative except an 
amount to cover the cost of any meal provided to such representa-
tive plus a registration fee of not to exceed $10. 
Minorities. 
Women. 
15 u s e 631 note. 
15 u s e 631 note. 
98 STAT. 170 
PUBLIC LAW 98-276—MAY 8, 1984 
(b) Delegates, including alternates, to the National CJonference 
shsJl be elected by participants at the State and regional confer-
ences: Provided, That each Governor and each chief executive offi-
cial of the political subdivisions enumerated in section 4(a) of the 
15 use 633. 
Small Business Act may appoint one delegate and one alternate: 
Provided further. That each Member of the United States House of 
Representatives, including each Delegate, and each Member of the 
United States Senate may appoint one delegate and one alternate: 
And provided further. That the President may appoint one hundred 
delegates and alternates. Only individuals from small businesses 
shall be eligible for appointment pursuant to this subsection. 
PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION OP CONFERENCE 
15 use 631 note. 
SEC. 5. (a) All Federal departments, agencies, and instrumen-
talities are authorized and directed to provide such support and 
assistance as may be necessary to facilitate the planning and 
administration of the Conference. 
(b) In carrying out the provisions of this Act, the Administrator of 
the Small Business Administration— 
(1) shall provide such assistance as may be necessary for the 
organization and conduct of conferences at the State and 
regional levels as authorized under section 2(b) of this Act; and 
(2) is authorized to enter into contracts with public agencies, 
private organizations, and academic institutions to carry out 
the provisions of this Act. 
(c) The Chief Counsel for Advocacy shall assist in carrying out the 
provisions of this Act by preparing and providing background mate-
rials for use by participants in the Conference, as well as by 
participants in State and regional conferences. 
(d) Each participant in the Conference shall be responsible for his 
or her expenses related to attending the Conference and shall not be 
reimbursed either from funds appropriated pursuant to this Act or 
15 use 631 note, the Small Business Act. 
(eXl) The President is authorized to appoint and compensate an 
executive director and such other directors and personnel for the 
Conference as he may deem advisable, without regard to the provi-
sions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the 
competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of chapter 
5 use 5101 et 
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classifi-
seq., 5331. 
cation and General Schedule pay rates. 
(2) Upon request by the executive director, the heads of the 
executive and military departments are authorized to detail em-
ployees to work with the executive director in planning and admin-
istering the Conference without regard to the provisions of section 
3341 of title 5, United States Code. 
REPORTS REQUIRED 
15 use 631 note. 
SEC. 6. Not more than six months from the date on which the 
National Conference is convened, a final report of the Conference 
shall be submitted to the President and the Congress. The report 
shall include the findings and recommendations of the Conference 
as well as proposals for any legislative action necessary to imple-
Public 
ment the recommendations of the Conference. The final report of 
availability. 
the Conference shall be available to the public. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-276—MAY 8, 1984 
98 STAT. 171 
FOLLOWUP ACTIONS 
SEC. 7. The Small Business Administration shall report to the Report. 
Congress annually during the three-year period following the sub- i^ use 631 note, 
mission of the final report of the Conference on the status and 
implementation of the findings and recommendations of the 
Conference. 
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS 
SEC. 8. (a) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such 15 use 631 note, 
sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, 
and they shall remain available until expended. New spending 
authority or authority to enter contracts as provided in this Act 
shall be effective only to such extent and in such amounts as are 
provided in advance in appropriation Acts. 
(b) No funds appropriated to the Small Business Administration 
shall be made available to carry out the provisions of this Act other 
than funds appropriated specifically for the purpose of conducting 
the Conference. Any funds remaining unexpended at the termina-
tion of the Conference, including submission of the report pursuant 
to section 6, shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States 
and credited as miscellaneous receipts. 
SEC. 9. This Act shall become effective October 1,1984. 
Wf?i^X%^^^-
15 use 631 note. 
Approved May 8, 1984. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5298 (S. 2487): 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-652 (eomm. on Small Business). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-380 accompanying S. 2487 (Coram, on Small Business). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol 130 (1984): 
Apr. 9, considered and passed House. 
Apr. 11, considered and passed Senate.