Congress · Laws

Board for International Broadcasting Act of 1973

Public Law 93-129 · S. 1914 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Oct 19, 1973 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Sen. Charles Percy (R-IL)

Cosponsors (20): Sen. Hubert Humphrey, Sen. Adlai Stevenson,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 313 yea, 90 nay313–90
SenateRecorded vote: 76 yea, 10 nay76–10

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.

Report a correction

Summary

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

Board for International Broadcasting Act - Establishes a Board for International Broadcasting.

Provides that the Board shall consist of seven members, two of whom shall be ex officio members. States that the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, five voting members, one of whom he shall designate as chairman. Sets forth the terms and compensation of the Board. Authorizes the Board to perform specified functions, including: (1) to make grants to Radio Free Europe and to Radio Liberty; (2) to review and evaluate the mission and operation of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, and to assess the quality, effectiveness and professional integrity of their broadcasting within the context of the broad foreign policy objectives of the United States; and (3) to encourage the most efficient utilization of available resources by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and to undertake, or request that Radio Free or Radio Liberty undertake, such studies as may be necessary to identify areas in which the operations of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty may be made more efficient and economical.

Provides for an audit of the books, documents, papers, and records of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty by the Board and the Comptroller General.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1974 to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act.

Who voted for it

Every senator of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 79 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

79 yea11 nay10 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(39)

Sen. Gaylord NelsonD-WI
Sen. Dick ClarkD-IA
Sen. Lee MetcalfD-MT
Sen. Philip HartD-MI
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA
Sen. Rupert HartkeD-IN
Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE
Sen. Floyd HaskellD-CO
Sen. Walter MondaleD-MN
Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
Sen. Birch BayhD-IN
Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
Sen. Edmund MuskieD-ME
Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
Sen. Abraham RibicoffD-CT
Sen. Hubert HumphreyD-MN
Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
Sen. Mike GravelD-AK
Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV
Sen. Joseph MontoyaD-NM
Sen. John TunneyD-CA
Sen. Alan BibleD-NV
Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
Sen. Thomas McIntyreD-NH
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI
Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
Sen. Gale McGeeD-WY
Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
Sen. Herman TalmadgeD-GA
Sen. John SparkmanD-AL
Sen. John StennisD-MS
Sen. James AllenD-AL
Sen. James EastlandD-MS
Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-30
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-37
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Bertram PodellD-NY-13
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Robert TiernanD-RI-2
Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Julia HansenD-WA-3
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Chester HolifieldD-CA-19
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. John BlatnikD-MN-8
Rep. Frank BrascoD-NY-11
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
Rep. Ogden ReidD-NY-24
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
Rep. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Martha GriffithsD-MI-17
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Frank ClarkD-PA-25
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Ella GrassoD-CT-6
Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Frank StubblefieldD-KY-1
Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Ovie FisherD-TX-21
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5

Republicans who voted yea(39)

Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
Sen. Edward BrookeR-MA
Sen. Jacob JavitsR-NY
Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
Sen. James PearsonR-KS
Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
Sen. George AikenR-VT
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK
Sen. Marlow CookR-KY
Sen. John BeallR-MD
Sen. Hugh ScottR-PA
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
Sen. Hiram FongR-HI
Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
Sen. Edward GurneyR-FL
Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
Sen. Robert TaftR-OH
Sen. William RothR-DE
Sen. William SaxbeR-OH
Sen. Peter DominickR-CO
Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
Sen. Robert GriffinR-MI
Sen. James McClureR-ID
Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
Sen. Norris CottonR-NH
Sen. Dewey BartlettR-OK
Sen. Roman HruskaR-NE
Sen. William ScottR-VA
Sen. John TowerR-TX
Sen. Carl CurtisR-NE
Sen. Clifford HansenR-WY
Sen. Wallace BennettR-UT
Sen. Paul FanninR-AZ
Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Robert SteeleR-CT-2
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-17
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. William WidnallR-NJ-7
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Wendell WyattR-OR-1
Rep. Bob MathiasR-CA-18
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. William MailliardR-CA-6
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Angelo RoncalloR-NY-3
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. John ZwachR-MN-6
Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Dick ShoupR-MT-1
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. James GroverR-NY-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. James HarveyR-MI-8
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. John SaylorR-PA-12
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Louis WymanR-NH-1
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. William KeatingR-OH-1
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Charles TeagueR-CA-13
Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
Rep. William MinshallR-OH-23
Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Wiley MayneR-IA-6
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. William HudnutR-IN-11
Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
Rep. Edward YoungR-SC-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Gerald FordR-MI-5
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. John WareR-PA-5
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
Rep. Peter FrelinghuysenR-NJ-5
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Harold CollierR-IL-6
Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Walter PowellR-OH-8
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
Rep. Benjamin BlackburnR-GA-4
Rep. Craig HosmerR-CA-32
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
Rep. David DennisR-IN-10
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12

Data notes

The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 369 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

Committees

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

Foreign Affairs Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Foreign Relations Committee · Senate · 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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.

Oct 19, 1973Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 93-129.
Oct 8, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Oct 2, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #489 (313-90).House roll call 489
Sep 13, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
Sep 10, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
Sep 6, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #378 (76-10).Senate roll call 378
FloorFloor · Motion to recommit failed of passage in Senate, roll call #376 (17-69).Senate roll call 376
Jul 27, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
May 31, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
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.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.