Joint resolution to authorize the erection of the American Legion's Freedom Bell on lands of the park system of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-483 · S.J.Res. 181 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 12, 1976 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Sen. Frank Moss (D-UT)
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 American Legion to erect on lands of the park system of the District of Columbia and its environs on lands owned by the United States, and to present to the Congress on behalf of the children of America, the American Legion's Freedom Bell, in honor of the Bicentennial celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Makes all plans for the choice of the site and the placement of the freedom bell subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, the Commission on Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission.
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 12, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-483.
- Oct 4, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 1, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 29, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 20, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 16, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 16, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources 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.