False Statements Accountability Act of 1996
Public Law 104-292 · H.R. 3166 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 11, 1996 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. William Martini (R-NJ-8)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. Bill McCollum, Rep. Henry Hyde,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
False Statements Accountability Act of 1996 - Amends the Federal criminal code to specify the applicability to the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of provisions prohibiting anyone from knowingly and willfully making misrepresentations to the Government. Provides that such provisions: (1) shall not apply with respect to statements, representations, writings, or documents submitted to a judge or magistrate by a party or that party's counsel in a judicial proceeding; and (2) shall apply to the legislative branch only with respect to administrative matters or any congressional investigation or review conducted consistent with House or Senate rules.
Defines "corruptly," for purposes of the prohibition on obstructing proceedings before a Federal agency or the Congress, to mean acting with an improper purpose, personally or by influencing another, including making a false or misleading statement, or withholding, concealing, altering, or destroying a document or other information.
Amends the Federal judicial code to limit the exemption of a Government officer or employee acting within an official capacity from U.S. district court jurisdiction to enforce a Senate subpoena or order to executive branch officers or employees refusing to comply based on a governmental privilege or objection authorized by the executive branch and not on a personal privilege or objection.
Amends the Federal criminal code to authorize a U.S. district court to order an individual to provide information which he or she refuses to provide on the basis of the privilege against self-incrimination in proceedings ancillary to either House of Congress. (Currently, such authority applies only to proceedings before either House.)
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance 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. 20 actions.
- Oct 11, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-292.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 30, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 27, 1996Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed House amendment to the Senate amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 26, 1996FloorFloor · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendment pursuant to H. Res. 535.
- Jul 26, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 25, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 5091 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 18, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 17, 1996FloorFloor · 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 recorded vote (2/3 required): 417 - 6 (Roll No. 324).House roll call 324
- Jul 16, 1996FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. McCollum objected to the Yea - Nay vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · Mr. McCollum moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 11, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 29, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 28, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 27, 1996CommitteeCommittee · 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.