A joint resolution to designate April 22, 1990 as Earth Day, and to set aside the day for public activities promoting preservation of the global environment.
Public Law 101-186 · S.J.Res. 159 · 101st Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 28, 1989 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Sen. Albert Gore (D-TN)
Cosponsors (58): Sen. George Mitchell, Sen. John Chafee,
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 April 22, 1990, as Earth Day for public activities that promote global environmental preservation.
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.
- Nov 28, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-186.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 20, 1989PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 16, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Sawyer asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Nov 1, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Oct 23, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Oct 20, 1989FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- Oct 18, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 17, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jun 20, 1989CommitteeCommittee · 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.