William J. Angelo began his five-year working relationship with Congressman Silvio O. Conte on a project to secure funding for a new public parking garage in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Angelo was asked by Representative Conte to become his Small Business Committee counsel in April 1986.

As a Conte staffer, Angelo researched numerous small business and economic development issues, both for constituents and for national legislation, prepared subcommittee and committee hearings, and wrote numerous articles and floor statements for Rep. Conte, as well as the 10 following bills:

• HR 1769, a bill to make permanent the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (passed the House)
• HR 3921, a bill to enhance the powers of Breakout Procurement Center Representatives, now part of PL 100-590
• HR 2269, a bill to reform the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Small and Disadvantaged Business Program, which was merged with HR 1807 to become Public Law 100-656
• HR 2274, the Small Business Protection Act, now PL 101-574
• HR 2351, the Women's Business Equity Act
• HR 4076, a bill to limit CERCLA custodial liability
• HR 4744, a bill to subject the Resolution Trust Corporation to Federal Acquisition Regulations
• HR 4745, the Small Business Machine Tool Access Act
• HR 4746, a bill to station Procurement Center Representatives at select locations, now part of PL 101-574
• HR 5303, a bill to authorize a small business electronic data interchange study, now part of PL 101-574.

The bulk of the collection spans the years 1986-1990, covering primarily the years Angelo was on the staff of Rep. Conte. Because Angelo's work with Rep. Conte involved the needs of small businesses, it is a convenient resource for Congressional materials relating to small business legislation. This collection includes correspondence between congressional staffers, between small business owners and Rep. Conte's office and the Department of Defense; Congressional publications; and outlines of bills, proposed bills, and acts. The collection provides an overview of Rep. Conte's work with and for small businesses, as well as Angelo's contributions to the Small Business Act.