Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991
Public Law 102-256 · H.R. 2092 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Mar 12, 1992 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Gus Yatron (D-PA-6)
Cosponsors (44): Rep. Anthony Beilenson, Rep. Jim Ramstad,
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.
Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 - Imposes civil liability on anyone who, under actual or apparent authority or under color of law of any foreign nation, subjects any individual to torture or extrajudicial killing. Directs a court to decline to hear a claim under this Act if the claimant has not exhausted adequate and available remedies in the place where the conduct giving rise to the claim occurred.
Specifies that no action shall be maintained under this Act unless it is commenced within ten years after the cause of action arose.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred toSubcommittee: Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee- Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement 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. 17 actions.
- Mar 12, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-256.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Mar 4, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Mar 3, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Nov 26, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Nov 25, 1991FloorFloor · 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. Mazzoli moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Nov 19, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 12, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Aug 6, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 29, 1991FloorFloor · JOINT REFERRAL - Mr. Fascell asked unanimous consent that the bill be jointly referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary. Agreed to without objection.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- May 7, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Apr 24, 1991IntroducedIntroduced · 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.