An act to authorize the Smithsonian Institution to construct a building for the National Museum of African Art and a center for Eastern art together with structures for related educational activities in the area south of the original Smithsonian Institution Building adjacent to Independence Avenue at Tenth Street, Southwest, in the city of Washington.
Public Law 97-203 · H.R. 5659 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jun 24, 1982 · Arts, Culture, Religion
Sponsor: Rep. Edward Boland (D-MA-2)
Cosponsors (7): Rep. Norman Mineta, Rep. Silvio Conte,
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.
Authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to contruct a building for the Museum of African Art and a center for Eastern art in the area south of the original Smithsonian Institution Building, Washington, D.C.
Authorizes appropriations.
Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of such funds, except for planning, administration and architectural or other consulting services, until sufficient funds to complete construction become available from private donations or from other non-Federal sources.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Public Buildings and Grounds 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. 14 actions.
- Jun 24, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-203.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jun 14, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 9, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jun 3, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Rule Passed House.
- May 17, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- May 13, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Apr 27, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Mar 15, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Mar 2, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure 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.