To amend section 3724 of title 31, United States Code, to increase the authority of the Attorney General to settle claims for damages resulting from law enforcement activities of the Department of Justice.
Public Law 101-203 · H.R. 972 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Dec 7, 1989 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Don Edwards (D-CA-10)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. James Sensenbrenner
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.
Increases from $500 to $50,000 the claim amount the Attorney General may settle in any one case arising from a claim for personal injury, death, or damage to, or loss of, privately owned property caused by any investigative or law enforcement officer employed by the Department of Justice acting within the scope of employment. Requires the Attorney General to report annually to the Congress on all such settlements.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Administrative Law and Governmental Relations 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. 23 actions.
- Dec 7, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-203.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 1, 1989PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 20, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment by Voice Vote.
- Nov 17, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree with an amendment to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Frank asked unanimous consent that the House agree with an amendment to the Senate amendment.
- Oct 27, 1989FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Oct 20, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 27, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- May 10, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- May 9, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Frank moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- May 4, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Apr 25, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Apr 13, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 22, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 15, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Feb 9, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary 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.