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Charity Games Advertising Clarification Act of 1988

Public Law 100-625 · H.R. 3146 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 7, 1988 · Commerce

Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA-4)

Cosponsors (27): Rep. Jack Brooks,

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Charity Games Advertising Clarification Act of 1988 - Amends the Federal criminal code to allow the advertising of information concerning a lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme that is not State-conducted but is authorized or not otherwise prohibited by the State in which it is conducted, and conducted: (1) by a not-for-profit organization or a governmental organization; or (2) by a commercial organization as a promotional activity clearly occasional and ancillary to the organization's primary business.

Amends Postal Service provisions of law to provide for the mailing of such advertisements.

Makes this Act effective 18 months after the date of its enactment.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported by
  • Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee
  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

  1. Nov 7, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-625.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 27, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 19, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
  5. Oct 14, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  6. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  7. Oct 5, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  9. Aug 5, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  11. Jun 6, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  12. May 26, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  13. May 25, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  14. FloorFloor · Rule Passed House.
  15. May 10, 1988FloorFloor · Failed to Receive 2/3's Vote to Suspend and Pass by Yea-Nay Vote: 259 - 159 (Record Vote No: 115).House roll call 115
  16. FloorFloor · Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: Failed to Receive 2/3's Vote to Suspend and Pass by Yea-Nay Vote: 259 - 159 (Record Vote No: 115).House roll call 115
  17. Mar 31, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  18. Mar 15, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  19. Aug 17, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  20. Aug 6, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  22. 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.