Czechoslovakian Claims Settlement Act of 1981
Public Law 97-127 · S. 1946 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 29, 1981 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Daniel Moynihan (D-NY)
Cosponsors (2): Sen. Robert Dole, Sen. Charles Percy
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)
Czechoslovakian Claims Settlement Act of 1981 - Approves the Agreement between the United States and Czechoslovakia on the Settlement of Certain Outstanding Claims and Financial Issues, initialed on November 6, 1981. Authorizes the President to execute technical changes in the agreement if they are necessary to facilitate its implementation.
Directs the Secretary of Treasury to cover into the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund the amount paid by Czechoslovakia to discharge the claims of U.S. nationals pursuant to the agreement. Directs the Secretary to deduct a specified amount to reimburse the United States for administering this Act and a specified title of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949.
Directs the Secretary to establish three accounts in the Fund. Requires a specified amount to be placed in the first account. Requires such account to be used to pay awards that were certified by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission for claims against Czechoslovakia pursuant to the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949.
Requires a specified amount to be placed in the second account to be available to pay the certified claims of U.S. nationals for losses resulting from the nationalization or other taking of property by Czechoslovakia between August 8, 1958, and the date on which the agreement takes effect.
Requires the remainder of the money in the Fund to be placed in the third account. Requires such account to be available to make ex gratia payments to U.S. nationals for losses resulting from the nationalization or taking of property by Czechoslovakia between January 1, 1945, and February 26, 1948. Expresses the sense of the Congress that these payments are justified only by the extraordinary circumstances of this case and do not establish precedent for future claims negotiations or payments.
Sets forth the methods of certifying claims and paying awards. Requires the right to payment to lapse if specified conditions are met.
Directs the Secretary to invest the account funds. Requires the investment interest to be used to make payments.
Makes the provisions of this Act ineffective if, within 60 days of enactment, Czechoslovakia does not make specified payments to the United States or Czechoslovakia does not receive specified gold, unless Congress approves the Agreement after that 60 day period. Provides for the extension of that 60 day period. Makes the provisions of this Act ineffective and prohibits the implementation of the agreement if those conditions are not met by that extension date, unless Congress approves the agreement or authorizes a further extension by joint resolution.
Directs the Secretary of State to review and report to Congress on the agreement between the United States and Czechoslovakia providing for reciprocal social security payments to residents of the two countries.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
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. 9 actions.
- Dec 29, 1981Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-127.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 22, 1981PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 16, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments to House Amendments by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in House amendments with amendments by Voice Vote.
- Dec 15, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Dec 11, 1981FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
- 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.