A bill to amend Public Law 90-553, to authorize the transfer, conveyance, lease and improvement of, and construction on, certain property in the District of Columbia, for use as a headquarters site for an international organization, as sites for governments of foreign countries, and for other purposes.
Public Law 97-186 · S. 1611 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 25, 1982 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
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.
Amends the Act which provides for selling certain lands in the District of Columbia to foreign governments and international organizations to name such Act the International Center Act.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to develop for such governments and organizations or to sell, exchange, or lease to them certain property for legation or headquarters buildings. Changes the boundaries of such property. Authorizes the Administrator of General Services, upon request, to construct the buildings. Directs the Secretary to provide additional services for lands covered by this Act.
Authorizes the Secretary to retain a reserve fund from the sales or lease proceeds to maintain improvements authorized by this Act and to finance development plans for other areas for chancery and diplomatic purposes.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Relations Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
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. 11 actions.
- May 25, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-186.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 19, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 13, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Apr 29, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Nov 30, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Nov 17, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Oct 27, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Sep 11, 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.