A bill to establish the "United States Holocaust Memorial Council.".
Public Law 96-388 · H.R. 8081 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 7, 1980 · Social Sciences and History
Sponsor: Rep. Sidney Yates (D-IL-9)
Cosponsors (125): Rep. William Lehman, Rep. James Blanchard,
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.
Establishes the United States Holocaust Memorial Council which shall: (1) provide and encourage appropriate ways for the Nation to observe the Days of Remembrance to commemorate the holocaust; (2) plan, erect, and oversee the operation of a memorial museum to the victims of the holocaust; and (3) develop a plan for carrying out the recommendations of the report submitted to the President on September 27, 1979, by the President's Commission on the Holocaust.
Sets forth the composition, compensation, and terms of office of members of the Council.
Authorizes any Government agency or instrumentality to transfer to the Council, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), any real property in the District of Columbia which is deemed by the Council to be suitable for the memorial. Permits the Council to purchase any suitable property in the District of Columbia with the approval of the Secretary in consultation with CFA and NCPC.
Terminates the Council's authority to construct a memorial if the erection of the memorial has not commenced within five years of enactment of this Act and sufficient funds to ensure completion of the memorial have not been certified to be available.
Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1981, 1982, and 1983 to carry out this Act. States that such funds shall not be available for construction.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to
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. 15 actions.
- Oct 7, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-388.
- Sep 30, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Sep 29, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 25, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Sep 24, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Sep 23, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 18, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 4, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Committee on House Administration
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service 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.