A joint resolution to provide for a temporary increase in the public debt limit.
Public Law 97-204 · H.J.Res. 519 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jun 28, 1982 · Economics and Public Finance
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateRecorded vote: 49 yea, 41 nay49–41
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.
Increases the temporary public debt limit set forth in the Second Liberty Bond Act by $743,100,000,000 for the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 1982.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 97th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 49 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
49 yea42 nay9 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(8)
Sen. Carl LevinD-MI- Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
- Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
Republicans who voted yea(41)
- Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
- Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
- Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
- Sen. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Sen. William CohenR-ME
- Sen. William RothR-DE
- Sen. Paula HawkinsR-FL
- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
- Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. John DanforthR-MO
- Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
- Sen. James AbdnorR-SD
- Sen. Robert KastenR-WI
- Sen. Harrison SchmittR-NM
- Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
- Sen. Warren RudmanR-NH
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN
Sen. John WarnerR-VA- Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY
- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
- Sen. Jeremiah DentonR-AL
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. Samuel HayakawaR-CA
- Sen. Dan QuayleR-IN
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. John EastR-NC
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 695 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
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. 6 actions.
- Jun 28, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-204.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jun 25, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 23, 1982FloorFloor · Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 49-41. Record Vote No: 198.Senate roll call 198
- FloorFloor · Engrossed and Deemed Passed.
- 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.