Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1990
Public Law 101-162 · H.R. 2991 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 21, 1989 · Economics and Public Finance
Sponsor: Rep. Neal Smith (D-IA-4)
Cosponsors: None
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.
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1990 - Title I: Department of Commerce - Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 1990 - Makes FY 1990 appropriations to the Department of Commerce for: (1) general administration; (2) Office of the Inspector General; (3) Bureau of the Census; (4) economic and statistical analysis; (5) Economic Development Administration for economic development assistance programs and salaries and expenses; (6) International Trade Administration; (7) Export Administration; (8) Minority Business Development Agency; (9) United States Travel and Tourism Administration; (10) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the Fisheries Promotional Fund, the Fishing Vessel and Gear Damage Fund, the Fishermen's Contingency Fund, and the Foreign Fishing Observer Fund; (11) Patent and Trademark Office; (12) Technology Administration; (13) National Institute of Standards and Technology; (14) National Telecommunications and Information Administration; and (15) public telecommunications facilities, planning and construction.
Makes funds available to the Department of Commerce for providing food and supplies and other relief to Federal employees in remote locations. Authorizes advanced payments for such employees.
Prohibits the use of funds to sell to private interests any loans made under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 or any loans made under specified provisions of the Trade Act of 1974.
Authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology to accept contributions of funds to construct a facility for cold neutron research on materials.
Prohibits the use of funds to reimburse the Working Capital Fund for programs, projects, or activities that were not performed as central services before July 1, 1982, unless the appropriate congressional committees are notified.
Title II: Department of Justice - Department of Justice Appropriation Act, 1990 - Appropriates FY 1990 funds for activities of the Department of Justice, including: (1) general administration; (2) the U.S. Parole Commission; (3) legal activities, subject to a number of limitations; (4) the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); (5) the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); (6) the Immigration and Naturalization Service; (7) the Federal Prison System; (8) the Office of Justice Programs; (9) Office of Inspector General; and (10) organized crime drug enforcement.
Limits amounts available for official reception and representation expenses.
Permits the use of materials produced by convict labor in Federal-aid highway systems projects.
Retains authorizations enacted in the Department of Justice Appropriation Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1980 until the earlier of: (1) the effective date of any forthcoming Department of Justice Appropriation Authorization Act; or (2) the termination date of this Act. Revises the authorization for certain undercover activities of the FBI and the DEA. Requires audits and annual reporting in connection with these activities.
Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for abortions, except when the life of the mother is at stake or in rape cases.
Amends the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 by extending the date of implementation of an amendment to the assets forfeiture laws.
Amends the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 to provide an entitlement to certain eligible citizens of Japanese ancestry.
Makes funds available for rewards to individuals who furnish information regarding acts of terrorism against U.S. persons or property.
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to continue through FY 1990 the Federal match for the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Grant Program. Provides for the allocation of remaining funds under such program.
Title III: Department of State - Department of State Appropriations Act, 1990 - Appropriates FY 1990 funds for Department of State activities, including: (1) administration of foreign affairs; (2) international organizations and conferences; (3) international commissions; (4) U.S. Bilateral Science and Technology Agreements; (5) a grant to the Asia Foundation; (6) U.S. Soviet-East European research and training; (7) the Fishermen's Guaranty Fund; and (8) the Fishermen's Protective Fund.
Requires the submission of a budget justification document to such committees for FY 1992.
Title IV: The Judiciary - Judiciary Appropriations Act, 1990- Appropriates FY 1990 funds for activities of the Judiciary, including: (1) the Supreme Court; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; (3) the U.S. Court of International Trade; (4) the Courts of Appeals, district courts, and judicial services, including a specified amount for court security; (5) the Administrative Office of the United States Courts; (6) the Federal Judicial Center; (7) the U.S. Sentencing Commission; and (8) judicial retirement funds.
Permits appropriations under this title to be used for salaries and expenses of the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals and the Special Court that reviews final system plans in connection with regional rail reorganization.
Broadens the scope of parties authorized to receive notices in bankruptcy cases. Provides for fees in connection with preparation and mailing of these notices.
Establishes the Judiciary Automation Fund for the procurement of automatic data processing equipment for the judicial branch. States that the Fund shall consist of fees received in connection with bankruptcy notices, advances and reimbursements and other appropriated funds.
Makes funds available for the Judicial Conference of the United States to sponsor and host the Fifth International Appellate Judges Conference in the United States.
Increases certain bankruptcy fees and prescribes additional fees for certain motions.
Title V: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations to the Maritime Administration.
Appropriates FY 1990 funds for: (1) the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; (2) the Board for International Broadcasting; (3) the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission; (4) the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution; (5) the Commission on Civil Rights, subject to the requirement that the General Accounting Office perform an audit with respect to compliance with specified spending restrictions and report the findings to the Appropriations Committees; (6) the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; (7) the Commission for the Study of International Migration and Cooperative Economic Development; (8) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; (9) the Federal Communications Commission; (10) the Federal Maritime Commission; (11) the Federal Trade Commission; (12) the International Trade Commission; (13) the Japan-United States Friendship Commission; (14) the Legal Services Corporation; (15) the Marine Mammal Commission; (16) the Office of the United States Trade Representative; (17) the Securities and Exchange Commission; (18) the Small Business Administration, including transfers of funds; (19) the State Justice Institute; (20) the United States Information Agency; (21) the Advisory Commission on Conferences in Ocean Shipping; (22) the Commission on Agricultural Workers; (23) the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad; (24) the Commission on the Ukraine Famine; (25) the Competitiveness Policy Council; and (26) the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission.
Earmarks specified funds for the Small Business Administration to make grants to certain educational institutions for small business development activities.
Makes appropriations for the pollution control equipment contract guarantee revolving fund.
Amends the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to make technical modifications to the preferred lenders program, a certified lenders program, and borrowing operations.
Title VI: General Provisions - Prohibits the use of appropriations under this Act for publicity or propaganda purposes not authorized by the Congress.
Limits the availability for obligation of these appropriations to the relevant fiscal year, unless expressly provided in this Act.
Limits any expenditure for consulting services through a procurement contract to those contracts where such expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection.
Directs the Federal Trade Commission to collect and assess a fee from persons required to file premerger notification reports required by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976.
Requires the notification of the congressional Appropriations Committees prior to any reprogramming of funds for specified purposes.
Requires FY 1990 pay raises to be absorbed within appropriated levels.
Sets out an order of distribution for Legal Services Corporation (LSC) FY 1990 grant funds and restricts or prohibits various uses of LSC appropriations.
Requires the Secretary of State to initiate negotiations for the development of international agreements to protect endangered and threatened sea turtles.
Prohibits monies under this Act from being used to reinstate or approve any export license applications for the launch of U.S.-built satellites on Soviet- or Chinese-built launch vehicles unless the President makes a favorable report to the Congress: (1) on China's political and human rights reforms; or (2) that such licenses are in the national interest.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to the adoption of foreign born orphans.
Redesignates the Federal building and U.S. courthouse in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as the Russell B. Long Building and United States Courthouse.
Authorizes appropriations to establish a clinical law center at Seton Hall University in Newark, New Jersey.
Authorizes appropriations under the Higher Education Act of 1965 for the cost of construction and related costs for a Health and Human Resources Center at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina.
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide a grant for a Bioscience Research Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the international drug summit should include several items on its agenda, including consideration of measures to remove Manuel Noriega from power in Panama.
Provides for funding at a certain rate of operation the Department of State and U.S. Information Agency until the enactment of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Appropriations Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary 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. 262 actions.
- Nov 21, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-162.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 14, 1989PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 8, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to further conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to further conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Further conference report considered in Senate.
- Nov 7, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: message on House action held at the desk in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · The House receded and concurred in the Senate amendments to the House amendments to the Senate amendments Nos. 53, 171, and 191 with amendments. Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motions to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (IA) asked unanimous consent for consideration of the conference report, H. Rept. 101-332.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report H. Rept. 101-332 filed.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report H. Rept. 101-332 filed.
- FloorFloor · RESOLVING AMENDMENTS IN DISAGREEMENT - The conference agreement resulted in the disposition of the remaining amendments in disagreement Nos. 53, 171, and 191.
- Nov 3, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate appointed conferees. Hollings; Inouye; Bumpers; Lautenberg; Sasser; Adams; Byrd; Rudman; Stevens; Hatfield; Kasten; Gramm; McClure.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the request for a further conference.
- FloorFloor · Senate insists on its amendments nos. 53, 171, 191 by Voice Vote.
- Nov 2, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: message on House action held at the desk in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · The chair appointed conferees: Smith (IA), Alexander, Early, Dwyer, Carr, Mollohan, Whitten, Rogers, Regula, Kolbe, and Conte.
- Nov 1, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion to request a further conference, and disagree to Senate amendments to House amendments to Senate amendments Nos. 53, 171, and 191 Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (IA) asked unanimous consent that the House request a further conference, and disagree to Senate amendments to House amendments to Senate amendments Nos. 53, 171, and 191.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed the House amendment to Senate amendment no. 182 by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Motion to table SP 1076 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53-45. Record Vote No: 280.Senate roll call 280
- Oct 31, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendment to Senate amendment no. 191 with an amendment (SP 1074) by Yea-Nay Vote. 53-45. Record Vote No: 278.Senate roll call 278
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendment to the Senate amendment no. 171 with amendment (SP1075) by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded from its amendment no.83 by Voice Vote.
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.