A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Army to return to the Federal Republic of Germany certain works of art seized by the United States Army at the end of World War II.
Public Law 97-155 · H.R. 4625 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Mar 17, 1982 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Richard White (D-TX-16)
Cosponsors (5): Rep. George Whitehurst, Rep. Nicholas Mavroules,
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.
Permits the Secretary of the Army to transfer to West Germany certain works of art seized from that country after World War II. Directs the Secretary to establish an interdepartmental committee, including a member designated by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, to review the art to determine what may be transferred.
Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to create in the Department of Energy the position of Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Makes the Director responsible for all aspects of the Program within the Departments of Energy and the Navy, including research and design, plant safety, training programs, and administration. Grants the Director direct access to the Secretaries of the Navy and of Energy.
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.
- Mar 17, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-155.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Mar 5, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Mar 2, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- Feb 25, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- Dec 10, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Nov 5, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Nov 4, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- Oct 27, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Oct 22, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Armed Services Committee
- Sep 29, 1981CommitteeCommittee · 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.