Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act
Public Law 115-77 · H.R. 2989 · 115th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Nov 2, 2017 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Rep. Eleanor Norton (D-DC)
Cosponsors (18): Rep. Andy Harris, Rep. A. Dutch Ruppersberger,
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.
Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act
(Sec. 3) This bill establishes the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission to: (1) plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities to honor Frederick Douglass for the bicentennial anniversary of his birth; and (2) recommend the federal government entities appropriate to carry out such programs and activities.
(Sec. 8) Not later than August 1, 2018, the commission must recommend appropriate activities to Congress. A final report detailing commission activities and expenditures must be submitted not later than June 1, 2019.
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.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 1582Related bill
Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Nov 2, 2017Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 24, 2017FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Oct 19, 2017FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Oct 18, 2017FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 16, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Oct 11, 2017FloorFloor · 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 · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2989.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Russell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 5, 2017CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 245.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 115-340.
- Jul 19, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Jun 21, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E864-865)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.