A joint resolution to designate August 1, 1988, as "Helsinki Human Rights Day".
Public Law 100-377 · S.J.Res. 338 · 100th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 1, 1988 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ)
Cosponsors (65): Sen. Chuck Grassley, Sen. Frank Lautenberg,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Designates August 1, 1988, as Helsinki Human Rights Day. Requests the President to: (1) reassert American commitment to the Helsinki Accords; (2) raise the issue of noncompliance with such Accords with the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Romania; (3) convey to all signatories of such Accords that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is vital to progress in the ongoing Helsinki process; (4) convey to U.S. allies the importance of unity regarding such Accords; (5) continue his efforts to achieve, before the end of the Vienna meeting, the release of all political prisoners of the Soviet Union, an increase in Soviet emigration, resolution of all family reunification cases, cessation of all radio transmission jamming, and the repeal of laws and practices which undermine human rights; (6) seek the inclusion, in any concluding document agreed to in Vienna, of a mechanism to sustain human rights progress after the Vienna meeting; and (7) convey to signatory states the insistence of the United States for a result at Vienna that will not favor military security at the expense of human rights.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Census and Population Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Aug 1, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-377.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 25, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 14, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 13, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 11, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 8, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jun 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.