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To amend title 36, United States Code, to clarify the requirements for eligibility in the American Legion.

Public Law 107-309 · H.R. 3988 · 107th Congress · began in the House

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 2, 2002 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Rep. George Gekas (R-PA-17)

Cosponsors: None

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.

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Summary

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

Revises American Legion eligibility requirements by providing that individuals who continue to serve honorably in the armed forces during or after (currently, after) specified periods shall be eligible.

Committees

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

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported by
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. 17 actions.

  1. Dec 2, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-309.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 21, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 14, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  5. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  6. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  7. Jul 16, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. Jul 15, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  9. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Jul 12, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  12. Jul 10, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  13. Apr 17, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  15. Apr 1, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  16. Mar 18, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  17. 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.

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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.