A bill to amend title 32, United States Code, to allow Federal recognition as officers of the National Guard of members of the National Guard of the Virgin Islands in grades above the grade of colonel.
Public Law 96-535 · H.R. 5856 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 16, 1980 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Melvin Evans (R-VI)
Cosponsors (35): Rep. Charles Price, 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.
Repeals the provision prohibiting Federal recognition of Virgin Islands' National Guard Officers above the grade of colonel as members of the National Guard.
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.
- Dec 16, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-535.
- Dec 9, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 4, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Dec 3, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Sep 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Sep 15, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- Aug 18, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Nov 9, 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.