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Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1979

Public Law 95-431 · H.R. 12934 · 95th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 10, 1978 · Economics and Public Finance

Sponsor: Rep. John Slack (D-WV-3)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 231 yea, 105 nay231–105
  • SenateRecorded vote: 62 yea, 7 nay62–7
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendment with an amendment, roll call #857 (231-105))

Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act - = Title I: Department of State= - Department of State Appropriation Act - Appropriates funds for fiscal year 1979 for the following: administration of foreign affairs, international organizations and conferences, international commission, and international trade negotiations.

Prohibits the use of any funds for the United Nations to furnish technical assistance.

=Title II: Department of Justice= - Department of Justice Appropriation Act - Makes appropriations within the Department of Justice for fiscal year 1979 as follows: for general administration, for legal activities, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, for the Drug Enforcement Administration, for the Federal Prison System, and for the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration.

=Title III: Department of Commerce= - Department of Commerce Appropriation Act - Appropriates specified funds for the Department of Commerce for fiscal year 1979 to be used for the following: general administration; the Bureau of the Census; the Bureau of Economic Analysis; the Economic Development Administration; Regional Action Planning Commissions; Industry and Trade Administration; Minority Business Enterprise; the United States Travel Service; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (including funds to promote research and development in American fisheries); the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration; Patent and Trademark Office; Science and Technical Research; National Telecommunications and Information Administration; and the Maritime Administration.

=Title IV: The Judiciary= - Judiciary Appropriation Act - Makes appropriations for fiscal year 1979 for the Supreme Court of the United States; the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals; the Customs Court; the Court of Claims; the Courts of Appeals; District Courts, and other judicial services; the Administrative Office of the United States Courts; and the Federal Judicial Center.

=Title V: Related Agencies= - Appropriates specified amounts for fiscal year 1979 for the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the Board for International Broadcasting, the Commission on Civil Rights, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Maritime Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, the International Communication Agency, the International Trade Commission, the Japan-United States Friendship Commission, the Legal Services Corporation, the Marine Mammal Commission, the Office of the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations, the Renegotiation Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Small Business Administration, and the Commission on Global Hunger and Malnutrition.

=Title VI: General Provisions= - Sets forth restrictions upon the use of funds appropriated in this Act. Prohibits the use of funds appropriated in this Act for providing any reparations, aid, or credits to Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos.

Declares that it is the sense of the Congress that the Attorney General parole into the United States additional Cambodian refugees in 1979 and 1980.

Prohibits the use of funds for the Advisory Committee on the Bureau of the Census or any similar advisory committee to the Department of Commerce, with certain exceptions.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 241 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

241 yea112 nay79 present or did not vote

Dimension 2
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(173)

  • Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
  • Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
  • Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
  • Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
  • Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
  • Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
  • Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
  • Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
  • Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
  • Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
  • Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
  • Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
  • Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
  • Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
  • Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
  • Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
  • Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
  • Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
  • Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
  • Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
  • Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
  • Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
  • Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
  • Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
  • Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
  • Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
  • Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
  • Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
  • Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
  • Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6
  • Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
  • Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
  • Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
  • Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
  • Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
  • Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
  • Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
  • Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
  • Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
  • Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
  • Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
  • Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
  • Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
  • Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
  • Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
  • Rep. Ozzie MyersD-PA-1
  • Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
  • Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
  • Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
  • Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
  • Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
  • Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
  • Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
  • Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
  • Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
  • Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
  • Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
  • Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
  • Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
  • Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
  • Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
  • Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
  • Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
  • Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
  • Rep. Joseph LeFanteD-NJ-14
  • Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
  • Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
  • Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
  • Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
  • Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
  • Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
  • Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
  • Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
  • Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
  • Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
  • Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
  • Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
  • Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
  • Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
  • Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
  • Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
  • Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
  • Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
  • Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
  • Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
  • Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
  • Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
  • Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
  • Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
  • Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
  • Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
  • Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
  • Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
  • Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
  • Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
  • Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
  • Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
  • Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
  • Rep. James TuckerD-AR-2
  • Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
  • Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
  • Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
  • Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
  • Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
  • Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
  • Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
  • Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
  • Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
  • Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
  • Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
  • Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
  • Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
  • Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
  • Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
  • Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
  • Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
  • Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
  • Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
  • Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
  • Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
  • Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
  • Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
  • Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
  • Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
  • Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
  • Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
  • Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
  • Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
  • Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
  • Rep. David CornwellD-IN-8
  • Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
  • Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
  • Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
  • Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
  • Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
  • Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
  • Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
  • Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
  • Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
  • Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
  • Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
  • Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
  • Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
  • Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
  • Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
  • Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
  • Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
  • Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
  • Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
  • Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
  • Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
  • Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
  • Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
  • Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
  • Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
  • Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
  • Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
  • Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
  • Rep. James SantiniD-NV
  • Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
  • Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
  • Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
  • Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
  • Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
  • Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
  • Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
  • Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
  • Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
  • Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
  • Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
  • Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
  • Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
  • Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(68)

  • Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
  • Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
  • Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
  • Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
  • Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
  • Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
  • Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
  • Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
  • Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
  • Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
  • Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
  • Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
  • Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
  • Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
  • Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
  • Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
  • Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
  • Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
  • Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
  • Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
  • Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
  • Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
  • Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
  • Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
  • Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
  • Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
  • Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
  • Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
  • Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
  • Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
  • Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
  • Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
  • Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
  • Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
  • Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
  • Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
  • Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
  • Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
  • Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
  • Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
  • Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
  • Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
  • Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
  • Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
  • Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
  • Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
  • Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
  • Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
  • Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
  • Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
  • Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
  • Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
  • Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
  • Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
  • Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
  • Rep. John CunninghamR-WA-7
  • Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
  • Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
  • Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
  • Rep. David StockmanR-MI-4
  • Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
  • Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
  • Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
  • Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
  • Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
  • Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
  • Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
  • Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1462 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 34 actions.

  1. Oct 10, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-431.
  3. Oct 2, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Sep 30, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to certain Senate amendments.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #432 (62-7).Senate roll call 432
  8. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #432 (62-7).Senate roll call 432
  9. Sep 29, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendment with an amendment, roll call #857 (231-105).House roll call 857
  10. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendment.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to concur in certain Senate amendment with an amendment rejected in House, roll call #856 (143-191).House roll call 856
  12. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendment with an amendment, roll call #857 (231-105).House roll call 857
  13. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: Motion to concur in certain Senate amendment with an amendment rejected in House, roll call #856 (143-191).House roll call 856
  14. Sep 28, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments with an amendment.
  15. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments.
  16. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #854 (276-61).House roll call 854
  17. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #854 (276-61).House roll call 854
  18. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to recommit conference report with instruction, rejected in House.
  19. Sep 12, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1565.
  20. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1565.
  21. Sep 8, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
  22. Aug 7, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
  23. FloorFloor · Measure reconsidered and repassed in Senate, amended.
  24. Aug 3, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
  25. FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #283 (62-6).Senate roll call 283
  26. FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
  27. Jul 28, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
  28. Jun 19, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
  29. Jun 14, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #454 (359-34).House roll call 454
  30. FloorFloor · Motion to recommit to the Committee Appropriations rejected in 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.