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Visa Waiver Pilot Program Reauthorization Act of 1997

Public Law 105-173 · S. 1178 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Apr 27, 1998 · Immigration

Sponsor: Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI)

Cosponsors (13): Sen. Ted Kennedy,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • 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.

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Summary

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

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to the visa waiver pilot program to: (1) extend the program through September 30, 2000; and (2) permit program eligibility for a country whose nationals had a nonimmigrant visa refusal rate of less than three percent for the previous full fiscal year. Directs the Attorney General to implement an annual data collection and reporting program regarding nonimmigrant category overstay rates.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

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. 13 actions.

  1. Apr 27, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-173.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Apr 20, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Apr 1, 1998Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed House amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Mar 25, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended to that of similar measure H.R. 2578. Agreed to without objection.
  7. FloorFloor · A similar measure H.R. 2578 was laid on the table without objection.
  8. FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
  9. FloorFloor · The House struck all after the enacting clause and inserted in lieu thereof the provisions of a similar measure H.R. 2578. Agreed to without objection.
  10. FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2578 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is open to amendments. After pas…
  11. Sep 26, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  12. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  13. Sep 15, 1997IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.