Joint resolution to authorize and request the President to call a White House Conference on Library and Information Services not later than 1978, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-568 · S.J.Res. 40 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 31, 1974 · Arts, Culture, Religion
Sponsor: Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI)
Cosponsors: None
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.
Authorizes the President to call a White House Conference on Library and Information Services not later than 1978 to develop recommendations for the further improvement of the Nation's libraries and information centers and their use by the public in accordance with the policies set forth in the preamble of this joint resolution. Provides that the Conference shall be planned and conducted under the direction of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.
Directs each Federal department and agency to cooperate with, and provide assistance to, the Commission upon its request. Authorizes each Federal department and agency to provide personnel to the Commission.
Authorizes the Librarian of Congress to detail personnel to the Commission, upon request, to enable the Commission to carry out its functions under this joint resolution.
Requires a final report of the Conference, containing such findings and recommendations as may be made by the Conference, to be submitted to the President not later than one hundred and twenty days following the close of the Conference, which final report shall be made public and, within ninety days after its receipt by the President, transmitted to the Congress together with a statement of the President containing the President's recommendations with respect to such report.
Establishes an advisory committee composed of twenty-eight members, which shall advise and assist the National Commission in planning and conducting the Conference. Sets forth the membership composition of the committee. Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary not to exceed $3,500,000 to carry out this joint resolution.
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. 24 actions.
- Dec 31, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-568.
- Dec 24, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 19, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Dec 18, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 93-1409.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 93-1409.
- Dec 17, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1619.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1619.
- Dec 16, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- FloorFloor · Measure by unanimous consent reconsidered and repassed with amendments.
- Dec 13, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment.
- Dec 12, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #681 (259-81).House roll call 681
- Jun 4, 1974FloorFloor · Measure failed of passage in House under suspension of the rules, roll call #266 (223-147).House roll call 266
- FloorFloor · Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: Measure failed of passage in House under suspension of the rules, roll call #266 (223-147).House roll call 266
- May 22, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Nov 26, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- Nov 20, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Nov 16, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Jan 26, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 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.