A bill to provide for the participation of the United States in the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and for other purposes.
Public Law 97-254 · H.R. 6409 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Sep 8, 1982 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Lindy Boggs (D-LA-2)
Cosponsors (7): Rep. Robert Livingston, Rep. John Breaux,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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 President to provide for U.S. participation in the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. Authorizes the President to appoint, without Senate confirmation, a Commissioner General of the United States Government of the Exposition.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to assign two career members of the Foreign Service with the rank of ambassador to assist the Commissioner General in: (1) performing functions in foreign countries; and (2) carrying out the United States' diplomatic responsibilities as the host of the Exposition.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to designate a Commissioner General of Section for U.S. participation, as provided for in the Exposition proposal transmitted by the President to Congress.
Authorizes the Secretary to take certain actions to provide for U.S. participation in the Exposition, including incurring necessary expenses, leasing land, and hiring consultants. Provides for the use of volunteers.
Directs the Secretary to take all reasonable measures to: (1) facilitate the participation of other governments and their nationals; (2) assure adherence to the Bureau of International Expositions' protocols; and (3) support the Exposition.
Authorizes the Secretary to accept private contributions to carry out this Act. Authorizes other Federal agencies to cooperate with the Secretary and provide personnel to help carry out this Act.
Requires all Federal property acquired and developed for the Exposition to be disposed of in accordance with Federal laws relating to the disposition of excess and surplus property.
States that the functions authorized by this Act may be performed without regard to specified laws.
Authorizes the Secretary to issue rules to carry out the functions and duties imposed by this Act.
Authorizes appropriations.
Amends provisions regulating Federal involvement in international expositions to require the Secretary of Commerce to include in the plan for Federal participation in such expositions: (1) the documentation of a Federal need for a permanent structure in the area of the exposition, if such need exists; (2) a design for a Federal pavilion which meets the needs of Federal participation in the exposition and the need for a permanent structure; and (3) the Secretary's determination of whether the Federal Government should be deeded a site for such a pavilion as a condition of participation in the exposition. Directs the Secretary to design a temporary Federal pavilion if no design will satisfy the need for a permanent structure and the needs of Federal participation in the exposition.
Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: International Economic Policy and Trade 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. 17 actions.
- Sep 8, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-254.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 27, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 19, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Aug 13, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Aug 10, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Jul 21, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Jul 19, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 15, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 13, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jun 21, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- May 26, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- May 19, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs 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.