A bill to amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to provide additional administrative authorities to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, and to make technical corrections to that Act, and for other purposes.
Public Law 106-55 · S. 1546 · 106th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Aug 17, 1999 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK)
Cosponsors (2): Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Sen. Chuck Hagel
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 with respect to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom to repeal authority for the reappointment of members of the Commission to a second two-year term. Sets forth specified additional administrative powers of, and certain standards of conduct to be followed by, the Commission. Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
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. 9 actions.
- Aug 17, 1999Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-55.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 11, 1999PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 5, 1999FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Campbell asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- IntroducedIntroduced · 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.