To waive the period of Congressional review for certain District of Columbia acts and to permit the Council of the District of Columbia to enact laws relating to attorneys and the representation of indigents in criminal cases.
Public Law 102-205 · H.R. 3709 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Dec 10, 1991 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Ronald Dellums (D-CA-8)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Eleanor Norton
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Waives the period for congressional review for certain District of Columbia Acts and makes them effective upon the enactment of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
District of Columbia Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported by
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. 14 actions.
- Dec 10, 1991Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-205.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 3, 1991PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 26, 1991FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Nov 15, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Nov 12, 1991FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Dellums moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Nov 8, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House District of Columbia Committee
- Nov 7, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House District of Columbia Committee
- Nov 5, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House District of Columbia 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.