Multinational Force and Observers Participation Resolution
Public Law 97-132 · S.J.Res. 100 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 29, 1981 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Charles Percy (R-IL)
Cosponsors: None
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)
Multinational Force and Observers Participation Resolution - Authorizes the President to assign U.S. military personnel to the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) to implement the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
Directs the President to give Congress specified information about the other countries providing military personnel for the MFO before the President assigns U.S. military personnel to the MFO.
Requires every possible effort to be made to ensure that at least four foreign countries are represented on the MFO.
Authorizes U.S. military and civilian personnel assigned to the MFO to perform only the functions specified in the peace treaty and its protocol. Limits the number of such military personnel.
Authorizes the President to assign U.S. civilian personnel as observers in the MFO.
Limits the U.S. share of the costs of the MFO. Authorizes appropriations to pay the U.S. contribution to the MFO budget.
Authorizes Federal agencies to provide support to the MFO, without reimbursement if such support would not significantly increase U.S. costs.
Authorizes the President to provide military training to the armed forces of other countries participating in the MFO.
Directs the President to report annually to Congress on the MFO, on U.S. participation in the MFO, and on specified discussions with Egypt and Israel. Requires such reports to be as detailed as possible.
States that nothing in this resolution is intended to signify congressional approval of any agreement made by the executive branch other than the agreement to participate in the MFO.
States that nothing in this resolution shall affect the responsibilities of the President or the Congress under the War Powers Resolution.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Arms Control, International Security and Science Subcommittee; Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee
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.
- Dec 29, 1981Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-132.
- 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.
- FloorFloor · Senate agreed to the House amendments to the Preamble; Senate agreed to the House amendment to the text with an amendment. By Voice Vote.
- Nov 19, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Oct 20, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Arms Control, International Security and Science Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Oct 13, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Oct 7, 1981FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- Sep 30, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Sep 22, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Jul 22, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations 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.