An act to establish a Congressional Award Board to administer a Congressional Award Program designed to encourage initiative and achievement among youths.
Public Law 96-114 · H.R. 2196 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 16, 1979 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. James Howard (D-NJ-3)
Cosponsors (112): Rep. John Duncan, Rep. John LaFalce,
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.
Congressional Award Act - Establishes the Congressional Award Board which shall establish and administer the Congressional Award Program which shall be designed to promote initiative, achievement, and excellence among youths in the areas of public service, personal development, and physical and expedition fitness.
Establishes three levels of awards to be awarded to young people within the United States who have satisfied the standards of achievement established by the Board.
Authorizes the appointment, by a majority vote of the Board, of a Director who shall be the principal executive of the program and shall supervise the affairs of the Board.
Authorizes the appointment of Regional award directors for any State or other appropriate geographic area of the United States who shall solicit recommendations regarding appointment from public and private youth organizations and make recommendations to the Board.
Directs the Board to submit a report to Congress by March 1 of each year summarizing the activities of the Program.
Sets forth the powers and restrictions of the Board. Prohibits the Board from taking any action which would disqualify it from treatment as a tax-exempt organization as described in the Internal Revenue Code.
Directs the Board to provide for the establishment of a private-nonprofit corporation for the purpose of assisting the Congressional Award Program.
Specifies that the members of the board of the award program and the members of the board of the corporation shall be the same.
Allows the financial records of the Board and the corporation to be audited by the Comptroller General of the United States.
Terminates the Congressional Award Board six years after the date of enactment of 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. 11 actions.
- Nov 16, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-114.
- Nov 7, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 1, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Oct 29, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Oct 16, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Feb 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- 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.