Smaller Communities Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Banking and Currency.
Smaller Communities Act - Expresses the findings of Congress and declares the purposes of this Act, including to establish the Small Community Administration in order to: (1) develop a national program to coordinate and improve the Federal assistance available to smaller communities; and (2) encourage the development of smaller communities through the coordination of certain Federal loan grant assistance programs. Establishes, as an independent agency in the executive branch, the Smaller Communities Administration, to be headed by an Administrator. Directs the Administration to: (1) to provide technical assistance to smaller communities; (2) coordinate with the Small Business Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Department of Transportation, Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Health, Education, and Welfare, and Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other Federal agencies to formulate Federal policy with respect to smaller communities; (3) represent the interests of smaller communities in the allocation of resources and scarce materials; (4) represent the interests of smaller communities in the location and construction of buildings by the Federal Government; (5) represent the interests of smaller communities before each Federal organization that affects the welfare of small communities; (6) conduct studies in specified areas; and (7) assist business firms and nonprofit institutions located in smaller communities in the awarding of Federal contracts. Establishes the Office of the Smaller Community Ombudsman, directing that the Ombudsman shall: (1) develop an information system to supply officials of smaller communities with information on Federal grant and loan assistance programs designed to aid small communities; and (2) coordinate Federal agencies administering such programs. Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on August 1, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on August 1, 1974: Referred to House Committee on Banking and Currency.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
WRIGHT PATMAN (D-TX) introduced it on August 1, 1974. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on August 1, 1974, 19033 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19033 days ago, on August 1, 1974.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers