Harry S Truman Memorial Scholarship Act
Public Law 93-642 · S. 3548 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jan 4, 1975 · Education
Sponsor: Sen. Stuart Symington (D-MO)
Cosponsors (66): Sen. James Abourezk, Sen. Birch Bayh,
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.
Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship Act - Expresses the findings of Congress and declares that it is especially appropriate to honor former President Harry S. Truman through the creation of a perpetual educational scholarship program to develop increased opportunities for young Americans to prepare and pursue careers in public service.
Establishes, as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the United States Government, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, to be subject to the supervision and direction of the Board of Trustees.
Authorizes the Foundation to award fifty-one scholarships in any fiscal year for undergraduate study for persons who plan to pursue a career in public service. States that each recipient shall be known as a Truman scholar.
Sets forth provisions governing: (1) the scholarship requirements; (2) the procedure for selection of Truman scholars; (3) stipends and institutional allowances; and (4) the scholarship conditions.
Establishes in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund. Prescribes the procedure for expenditures from the fund. Directs that there shall be an Executive Secretary of the Foundation, appointed by the Board, who shall be the chief executive officer and shall carry out the functions of the Foundation subject to the supervision and direction of the Board.
Authorizes to be appropriated $30,000,000 to the fund.
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. 10 actions.
- Jan 4, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-642.
- Dec 24, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 18, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Dec 17, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 17481.
- Aug 8, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- Aug 7, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Aug 2, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- May 30, 1974CommitteeCommittee · 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.