A bill to provide for distribution in the United States of certain International Communication Agency films relating to President Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Public Law 96-546 · H.R. 8173 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 18, 1980 · Arts, Culture, Religion
Sponsor: Rep. Jake Pickle (D-TX-10)
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.
Requires the Director of the International Communication Agency to make available to the Administrator of General Services a copy of specified films with footage of Lyndon Johnson, upon reimbursement and the securing of any necessary music rights. Directs the Administrator to make such copies available to the public.
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 18, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-546.
- Dec 10, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 9, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 8, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Dec 2, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Nov 19, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Nov 17, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 19, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs 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.