H.R. 4319: Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan African Countries Act of 2005

109th Congress · introduced 2005-11-15 · International Affairs · Latest: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2005-11-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote . Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan African Countries Act of 2005

Plain summary

Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan African Countries Act of 2005 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to provide technical assistance to small and medium enterprises in sub-Saharan African countries. Authorizes the President, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to provide assistance to small and medium enterprises in such countries for: (1) financial sector improvement; (2) financial institution lending programs; (3) technology and information resources; (4) rural and peri-urban business development; (5) small business development in post-conflict states; (6) youth entrepreneurship programs; (7) intellectual property rights protection; and (8) anti-corruption initiatives. Directs: (1) the U.S. Trade Representative to develop a comprehensive plan to expand agricultural trade between sub-Saharan African countries and the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act; (2) the Secretary of State to undertake actions to strengthen internationally recognized labor rights and standards in sub-Saharan African countries; (3) the Secretary of Labor to undertake activities to promote social dialog among business, government, labor, and nongovernmental organizations; (4) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to provide training and technical assistance to producers to ensure that their exports meet U.S. requirements; (5) the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Foreign Agriculture Service, to undertake activities to improve market access for U.S. agricultural products in sub-Saharan African countries; (6) the President, through USAID, to provide technical assistance to eligible sub-Saharan countries to meet African Growth and Opportunity Act eligibility requirements, and to provide such countries with transportation and communications infrastructure; and (7) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to conduct trade training programs for U.S. small businesses which convey basic information on selling goods to foreign markets, including markets in sub-Saharan African countries.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan African Countries Act of 2005

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr4319.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>

Record fed-us-cong109-hr4319 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109