Japan-United States Friendship Act
Public Law 94-118 · S. 824 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 20, 1975 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Jacob Javits (R-NY)
Cosponsors (33): Sen. Hiram Fong, Sen. James Abourezk,
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.
Japan-United States Friendship Act - Establishes the Japan-United States Friendship Trust Fund, consisting of amounts to be used for the promotion of scholarly, cultural, and artistic activities between Japan and the United States.
Authorizes appropriations to the Fund, for fiscal year 1976, in an amount equal to 7.5 percent of the total funds payable to the United States pursuant to the Agreement Between Japan and the United States of America Concerning the Ryukyu Islands and the Daito Islands; and those funds available in United States accounts in Japan and transferred by the Government of Japan to the United States pursuant to the United States request made under article V of the agreement between the United States of America and Japan regarding the settlement of Postwar Economic Assistance to Japan, and the exchange of notes thereunder.
Establishes the Japan-United States Friendship Commission, which shall: (1) develop and carry out programs at public or private institutions for the promotion of scholarly, cultural, and artistic activities in Japan and the United States; and (2) make grants to carry out such programs.
Requires the Commission to report annually to the President and the Congress on its activities under 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. 20 actions.
- Oct 20, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-118.
- Oct 8, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 7, 1975Resolving 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.
- Oct 2, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-526.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-526.
- Sep 30, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Sep 29, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Sep 26, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 9667.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jun 16, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jun 13, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jun 10, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Feb 25, 1975CommitteeCommittee · 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.