Torture Victims Relief Act of 1998
Public Law 105-320 · H.R. 4309 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 30, 1998 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4)
Cosponsors (30): Rep. Tom Lantos, Rep. Carolyn Maloney,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Torture Victims Relief Act of 1998 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to provide assistance in the form of grants to treatment centers and programs in foreign countries that are carrying out projects or activities specifically designed to treat victims of torture for the physical and psychological effects of such torture.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1999 and 2000.
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide grants to U.S. programs to cover the costs of services for: (1) the rehabilitation of victims of torture, including treatment of the physical and psychological effects of torture; (2) social and legal services for victims of torture; and (3) research and training for health care providers outside of treatment centers. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1999 and 2000.
Authorizes appropriations to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) request the Fund to find new ways to support and protect treatment centers and programs (including the development of new centers and programs) that are carrying out rehabilitative services for victims of torture; (2) use the U.S. vote to support the work of the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Committee Against Torture established under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; and (3) use the U.S. vote to establish a country rapporteur or similar procedural mechanism to investigate human rights violations in a country if either the Special Rapporteur or the Committee Against Torture indicates that a systematic practice of torture is prevalent in such country.
Directs the Secretary of State to provide training for foreign service officers with respect to torture victims, including gender-specific training on the subject of interacting with women and men who are victims of torture by rape or any other form of sexual violence.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee- Energy and Commerce Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Health and Environment 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. 22 actions.
- Oct 30, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-320.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 20, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 10, 1998Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Gilman moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- Oct 8, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3792 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S12044))
- Sep 14, 1998FloorFloor · 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. Gilman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Aug 17, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Health and Environment Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Aug 6, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 24, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 22, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce 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.