Foreign Investment Study Act of 1974
Public Law 93-479 · S. 2840 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 26, 1974 · Foreign Trade and International Finance
Sponsor: Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Ted Stevens
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Foreign Investment Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive, overall study of foreign direct and portfolio investments in the United States. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to carry out that part of the study relating to foreign direct investment, and to specifically: (1) investigate and review the nature, scope, magnitude, and rate of foreign direct investment activities in the United States; (2) survey the reasons foreign firms are undertaking direct investment in the United States; and (3) identify the processes and mechanisms through which foreign direct investment flows into the United States, the financing methods used by foreign direct investors, and the effects of such financing on American financial markets.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to carry out that part of the study relating to foreign portfolio investment, and to specifically: (1) investigate and review the nature, scope, and magnitude of foreign portfolio investment activities in the United States; (2) survey the reasons for foreign portfolio investment in the United States; and (3) identify the processes and mechanisms through which foreign portfolio investment is made in the United States, the financing methods used, and the effects of foreign portfolio investment on American financial markets.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Treasury to establish whatever rules each deems necessary to carry out each of his functions under this Act.
Authorizes each Secretary to require any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to maintain a complete record of any information which such Secretary determines is germane to his functions in the foreign direct investment and foreign portfolio investment studies to be conducted pursuant to this Act; and to furnish under oath any report containing whatever information such Secretary determines is necessary to carry out his functions in such studies.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Treasury to use the available services, equipment, personnel, and facilities of any agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government in conjunction with the study authorized in this Act.
Requires the Secretaries to make a full and complete report to Congress of the findings made under the study authorized by this Act, together with such recommendations as they may think appropriate.
Authorizes appropriations of up to $3,000,000 to carry out the purposes of this Act.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 26, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-479.
- Oct 17, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 10, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Oct 9, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments with amendments.
- Aug 21, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 15487.
- Jun 17, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jun 13, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jun 11, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Dec 20, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.