PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 36 · Passed House amended · Oct 13, 1998
Year 2000 Preparedness Act of 1998 - Directs the President to provide for the acceleration of the development of business continuity plans by Federal agencies to ensure the uninterrupted delivery by those agencies of critical mission-related services. (Sec. 4) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should aggressively promote Year 2000 date change awareness for information technology systems and sensitive infrastructure applications; (2) the President should authorize the Chair of the Year 2000 Conversion Council to take a leadership role in resolving Year 2000 (Y2K) issues of any critical Federal agency system that is in jeopardy of not meeting the January 1, 2000 deadline; (3) the Chair should work toward a national strategy to assure that the critical infrastructures and key sectors of the economy will be prepared for the Year 2000 date change; (4) the Chair is making a significant contribution to Y2K problem awareness by scheduling a National Y2K Action Week for October 19 through 23, 1998; (5) the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Department of Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, and other Federal agencies should undertake maximum efforts to assist American family businesses and farmers in assessing their exposure to the Y2K problem, undertaking necessary remedial steps, and formulating contingency plans; and (6) State and local governments, as well as private sector industry groups and companies, should participate in the effort to prepare the American economy for the year 2000. (Sec. 5) Provides for all Federal agency reports to OMB relating to the Y2K problem to be concurrently transmitted to the Congress, including all agency monthly submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). (Sec. 6) Directs the Chair to develop guidelines of best practices and standards for remediation and validation with respect to the Y2K problem to provide better direction for government and private sector efforts. (Sec. 7) Requires the Chair to submit to the Congress any national assessment of the Y2K problem conducted through or in conjunction with the Council covering all critical national infrastructures and key sectors of the economy. (Sec. 8) Requires the head of each Federal agency to ensure that all systems and hardware administered by the agency are Year 2000 compliant to ensure that no significant disruption of the agency's operations or data exchange partners occurs. Requires quarterly progress implementation reports to the Congress. (Sec. 9) Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in conjunction with the SBA, to develop a Year 2000 compliance outreach program to assist small and medium-sized businesses with respect to the Y2K problem. (Sec. 10) Directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology to develop a Year 2000 consumer awareness program to assist the public in becoming aware of the implications of the Y2K problem.
People & committees
Rep. Morella, Constance A. [R-MD-8] · R–MD
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Received in the Senate.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 407 - 3 (Roll No. 526).
House roll call 526 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 407 - 3 (Roll No. 526).
House roll call 526 · Individual votesConsidered as unfinished business.
At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Barcia objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10717-10723, H10788-10789)
Mrs. Morella moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Referred to the House Committee on Science.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.4756 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.4756 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.4756 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.4756 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.