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Civil Liberties Act Amendments of 1992

Public Law 102-371 · H.R. 4551 · 102nd Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Sep 27, 1992 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Sponsor: Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO-3)

Cosponsors (95): Rep. Newton Gingrich,

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Civil Liberties Act Amendments of 1992 - Amends the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 to increase the authorization of appropriations to the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund.

Includes non-Japanese spouses and parents of an individual of Japanese ancestry in the definition of the term "of Japanese ancestry" for purposes of redress eligibility.

Requires that, when evidence regarding an individual's redress eligibility is equally balanced, the benefit of the doubt be given to the individual. Provides for judicial review of denial of compensation.

Terminates the duties of the Attorney General a specified period after the Fund terminates (currently, when the Fund terminates).

Excludes any payments made under the Act from consideration as income for purposes of eligibility for benefits under all laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, effective as of August 10, 1998.

Declares that any such payment to an individual who is not of Japanese ancestry and who is an eligible individual on the basis of this Act shall not be an entitlement and shall be made from discretionary appropriations. Authorizes appropriations for such discretionary payments.

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.

  1. Sep 27, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-371.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 21, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 16, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 2553 without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Sep 14, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Frank (MA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  9. Aug 11, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  10. Apr 1, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  12. Mar 26, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  13. Mar 25, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  14. Mar 24, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  15. 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.