Designating October 27, 1989, as "National Hostage Awareness Day".
Public Law 101-122 · H.J.Res. 400 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 23, 1989 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Rep. Paul Henry (R-MI-5)
Cosponsors (241): Rep. Gary Ackerman, Rep. Douglas Applegate,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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 October 27, 1989, as National Hostage Awareness Day in recognition of the 42d birthday of Terry Anderson, his fifth in captivity.
Calls for efforts to have such date declared International Hostage Day by the United Nations.
Urges all nations and international agencies to work to secure the release of the hostages by exerting influence on the hostage takers or the nations involved.
Calls for prayer for the release of all U.S. and foreign hostages in Lebanon and the ringing of bells at noon on such date to honor the hostages.
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.
- Oct 23, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-122.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 13, 1989PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 5, 1989FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- Sep 28, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Sawyer asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
- 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
- Sep 20, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Sep 12, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service 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.