A bill to incorporate the Gold Star Wives of America.
Public Law 96-497 · S. 1179 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 4, 1980 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Birch Bayh (D-IN)
Cosponsors (48): Sen. Robert Morgan, Sen. Donald Stewart,
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.
Grants a Federal charter to the Gold Star Wives of America.
Declares that the powers, composition, and responsibilities of the board of directors, eligibility for membership, and election of officers of such corporation shall be as provided in the articles of incorporation of the corporation and in conformity with the laws of the States where incorporated. Prohibits the corporation and any officer or director from supporting or participating in any political activity.
Directs the corporation to report annually to Congress on its activities during the preceding year.
Requires the corporation to maintain its status as a tax-exempt organization.
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.
- Dec 4, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-497.
- Nov 26, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Nov 25, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 21, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Nov 17, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 154.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
- Dec 31, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- Dec 20, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Dec 12, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- May 17, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.