A bill to amend title 32, United States Code, to modify the system of accountability and responsibility for property of the United States issued to the National Guard.
Public Law 96-328 · H.R. 5748 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 8, 1980 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. David Emery (R-ME-1)
Cosponsors (15): Rep. Richard White, Rep. George Whitehurst,
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.
Directs the Secretary of the Army, with respect to the Army National Guard, and the Secretary of the Air Force, with respect to the Air National Guard, to prescribe regulations for the accounting of property issued to the Guard and the fixing of responsibility for that property.
Provides that individual members of the Guard may be held liable for lost, damaged, or destroyed property if under similar circumstances active service personnel would be so liable. Stipulates that such liability shall be taken out of pay unless cancelled by the respective Secretary.
Provides that a State, or territory (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Canal Zone) may be held liable for property lost, damaged, or destroyed incident to such jurisdictions' authorized use. Stipulates that such liability shall be paid from non-Federal funds.
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. 12 actions.
- Aug 8, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-328.
- Jul 30, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jul 25, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Jul 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Nov 28, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Nov 27, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- Nov 16, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Oct 31, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services 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.