FRIENDSHIP Act
Public Law 103-199 · H.R. 3000 · 103rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 17, 1993 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO-3)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Robert Michel
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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Policy of Friendship and Cooperation
Title II: Trade and Business Relations
Title III: Cultural, Educational, and Other Exchange Programs
Title IV: Arms Control
Title V: Diplomatic Relations
Title VI: Oceans and the Environment
Title VII: Regional and General Diplomatic Issues
Title VIII: Internal Security; Worldwide Communist Conspiracy
Title IX: Miscellaneous
Act for Reform in Emerging New Democracies and Support and Help for Improved Partnership with Russia, Ukraine, and Other New Independent States or the FRIENDSHIP Act - Title I: Policy of Friendship and Cooperation - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to amend or repeal numerous statutory provisions that restrict or impede normal relations between the United States and the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the other independent states of the former Soviet Union. Affirms that certain existing statutory provisions that impose limitations on the Soviet Union or utilize language that reflect the tension that existed between the Soviet Union and the United States should not be construed as being directed against the independent states, connoting an adversarial relationship between the United States and these states, or implying unfriendliness toward such states.
Title II: Trade and Business Relations - Sets forth U.S. policy concerning the shooting down of Korean Airlines Flight 7.
(Sec. 202) Amends the Federal criminal code to consider persons engaged in legal commercial transactions as agents of Cuba or any other country determined by the President to pose a threat to national security interests to be foreign agents subject to notification requirements. (Current law considers agents of the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania as foreign agents for such purposes.)
(Sec. 203) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 to prohibit military technology developed with funds for the Ballistic Missile Defense Program from being transferred to any independent state unless the President certifies to the Congress that such transfer is in the national interest and is for purposes of maintaining peace.
(Sec. 204) Amends the Department of Defense Appropriations Authorization Act, 1975 to repeal provisions that restrict exports of Department of Defense-funded items to controlled countries.
Title III: Cultural, Educational, and Other Exchange Programs - Changes references in specified laws concerning exchanges from the Soviet Union to the independent states.
Title IV: Arms Control - Changes certain references to the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact in the Arms Control and Disarmament Act and the Arms Export Control Act to the independent states, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
Title V: Diplomatic Relations - Repeals specified provisions concerning: (1) personnel restrictions on Soviet national employees of foreign missions or international organizations; and (2) Soviet embassies and consulates (particularly with regard to security measures) and U.S. embassies in the former Soviet Union.
(Sec. 503) Repeals a provision of the Foreign Service Buildings Act, 1926 which authorizes appropriations to carry out such Act in the Soviet Union.
Title VI: Oceans and the Environment - Replaces references to the Soviet Union in specified provisions of the Fur Seal Act of 1966 and the Global Climate Protection Act of 1987 with Russia and the independent states.
Title VII: Regional and General Diplomatic Issues - Repeals specified provisions concerning U.S. policy toward Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and Angola and removes references to Communist countries under policy provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
Title VIII: Internal Security; Worldwide Communist Conspiracy - Repeals provisions of law concerning: (1) reports on Soviet press manipulation in the United States; and (2) findings on Communism and prohibitions on communications with members of Communist parties and on attempting to establish a totalitarian dictatorship.
Title IX: Miscellaneous - Repeals provisions of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 concerning: (1) Soviet missile tests near Hawaii; (2) emigration from the Soviet Union; and (3) delivery of international mail within the Soviet Union. Removes references to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in provisions concerning persecution of Christians.
(Sec. 903) Repeals provisions of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 concerning: (1) the murder of a specified U.S. army officer; and (2) Soviet policy toward pentecostal Christians.
(Sec. 905) Authorizes the National Captive Nations Committee, Inc., to construct an international memorial in the District of Columbia to honor victims of communism.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Armed Services Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Military Research and Development Subcommittee
- Financial Services Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee
- Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to
- Ways and Means Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), referred toSubcommittee: Trade 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. 24 actions.
- Dec 17, 1993Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-199.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 8, 1993PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 23, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (CR H10946-10951)
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Hamilton asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
- Nov 22, 1993FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1672 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Nov 15, 1993FloorFloor · 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. Hamilton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 15, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Oct 7, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Sep 1, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee
- Aug 16, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Military Research and Development Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee
- Aug 13, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee
- Aug 6, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Financial Services Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Ways and Means 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.