An act to authorize the enlistment of citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
Public Law 96-351 · H.R. 4627 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Sep 15, 1980 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Antonio Won Pat (D-GU)
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 enlistment of a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands into the Armed Forces of the United States if such an individual indicates in writing an intent to become a citizen, and not a national, of the United States upon the full implementation of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America.
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.
- Sep 15, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-351.
- Sep 5, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Sep 4, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Aug 28, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Jul 25, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jul 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Oct 16, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Oct 15, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- Sep 24, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Jun 26, 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.