A bill to reserve a site for the use of the Smithsonian Institution.
Public Law 94-74 · H.R. 5327 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Aug 8, 1975 · Arts, Culture, Religion
Sponsor: Rep. George Mahon (D-TX-19)
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.
Reserves that portion of the Mall bounded by Third Street, Maryland Avenue, Fourth Street, and Jefferson Drive in the District of Columbia as a site for the future public uses of the Smithsonian Institution.
Prohibits the Institution from making use of such site without the approval of the Congress.
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. 13 actions.
- Aug 8, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-74.
- Jul 29, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jul 28, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jul 25, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Jul 23, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Rules and Administration Committee
- Jun 17, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Rules and Administration Committee
- Jun 16, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 4, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Committee on House Administration
- Mar 21, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Committee on House Administration
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.