National Geography Studies Centers Act
Public Law 100-569 · H.R. 4416 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 31, 1988 · Education
Sponsor: Rep. John Williams (D-MT-1)
Cosponsors (11): Rep. William Ford, Rep. Major Owens,
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.
Title I: Library Services and Construction Reauthorization - Amends the Library Services and Construction Act to extend through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for grants under title V (Foreign Language Materials Acquisition) and title VI (Library Literacy Programs) of such Act.
Title II: National Geography Studies - National Geography Studies Centers Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to enter into a contract with the Education Foundation of the National Geographic Society (the contractor) to pay the Federal share (75 percent) of the cost of establishing and operating National Geography Studies Centers for the study of geography in elementary and secondary schools.
Authorizes the contractor to enter into contracts with or make grants to local educational agencies, State educational agencies, State higher educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or consortia thereof, to establish and operate such Centers.
Requires each Center to: (1) support programs for geography study by elementary and secondary school students, that may include laboratory schools and summer institutes; (2) support programs which provide elementary and secondary school teacher retraining and inservice training in geography; and (3) establish procedures, through an advisory panel, for selecting students and teachers for Center-supported programs. Requires such procedures to take account of geographic distribution and the needs of students and teachers from historically underrepresented groups.
Authorizes each Center to: (1) support development and dissemination of innovative geography curricula; (2) develop geography curricula to be used in other subject areas; and (3) provide technical and resource assistance in geography to schools in the region served.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1993 for the National Geography Studies Centers.
Title III: United States Institute of Peace - Amends the United States Institute of Peace Act (title XVII of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985) to extend the authorization of appropriations for the United States Institute of Peace through FY 1993.
Repeals a prohibition against the use of Federal funds under such Act to pay for private fringe benefit programs.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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. 12 actions.
- Oct 31, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-569.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 21, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 13, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- Oct 12, 1988FloorFloor · Committee on Rules Granted a Rule Providing for a Motion to Take the Bill From the Speakers' Table, With the Senate Amendment Thereto and to Concur in the Senate Amendment; The Motion is Debatable for One Hour.
- Oct 4, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jun 7, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- Jun 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- May 24, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Apr 19, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.