H.R. 3985: Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012

112th Congress · introduced 2012-02-08 · Commerce · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 526.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-02-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Schilling, Robert T. [R-IL-17] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 526. 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

Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012

Plain summary

Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a mentor-protege program for all small businesses. (Under current law, the SBA mentor-protege program is limited to small businesses participating in the section 8(a) guaranteed loan program.) Prohibits a federal department or agency from carrying out a mentor-protege program for small businesses unless the head of such department or agency submits a program plan to the Administrator and the Administrator approves it. Requires the Administrator to approve or disapprove a plan based on whether the proposed program: (1) will assist proteges to compete for federal prime contracts and subcontracts, and (2) complies with program regulations as issued by the Administrator under this Act.

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

Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012

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. Schilling, Robert T. [R-IL-17] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Judy Chu (D-CA), Sam Graves (R-MO)

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.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

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-112hr3985.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr3985 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112