Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material Implementation Act of 1982
Public Law 97-351 · H.R. 5228 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 18, 1982 · Energy
Sponsor: Rep. William Hughes (D-NJ-2)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Peter Rodino, Rep. Robert McClory
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.
Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material Implementation Act of 1982 - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish penalties for: (1) intentionally possessing or transferring nuclear material which the offender knows is likely to cause or which in fact does cause, death or serious injury to any person or substantial damage to property; and (2) stealing, embezzling, or threatening to use any such material, or attempting or conspiring to do so.
Provides for specific penalties for violations of this Act consisting of fines of not more than $250,000 and imprisonment for not more than 20 years except where the offender knowingly causes death or manifests extreme indifference to the life of an individual that results in death or serious bodily injury. Prescribes an indefinite term or life imprisonment in the latter case.
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. 17 actions.
- Oct 18, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-351.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 6, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 1, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded from its amendments Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 7 by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in House amendments to Senate amendments No. 3, 5, and 8. By Voice Vote.
- Sep 28, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments 002, 004, 006, 007 by Unanimous Consent.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Concurred, in Senate Amendments 003, 005, 008 , with Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendment 001 by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 14, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1446 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Aug 5, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 26, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 20, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 396 - 9 (Record Vote No: 189).House roll call 189
- Jul 19, 1982FloorFloor · Considered by House Unfinished Business Vote Postponed Until July 20, 1982.
- Jun 24, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 15, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Dec 15, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary 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.