Congress · Laws

Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982

Public Law 97-363 · H.R. 5879 · 97th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 25, 1982 · Immigration

Sponsor: Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ-10)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 357 yea, 58 nay357–58
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(Measure passed House, amended, roll #162 (357-58))

Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize FY 1983 appropriations for refugee resettlement assistance.

Expresses the intent of Congress that self-sufficiency is the goal of such assistance.

Requires the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement to: (1) study the feasibility of providing interim support through the case management system and separating medical assistance from cash assistance; and (2) report to Congress by January 1, 1983.

Requires the Director to implement resettlement policies dealing with the problems of initial resettlement concentration and consultation among governmental officials and representatives of the sponsoring voluntary agencies.

Requires the Director to maintain data on refugee dependency and secondary migration within the United States.

Amends initial resettlement provisions to require sponsoring agencies to: (1) use or obligate all Federal funds in the fiscal year they are received; (2) notify welfare agencies of jobs offered to refugees; and (3) assure that refugees with known health problems report to the appropriate health agencies.

Authorizes the Director to reimburse State and local health agencies for providing medical screening and initial treatment to refugees.

Requires the Government Accounting Office to conduct annual grant and contract audits.

Authorizes the Secretary to fully reimburse States for cash and medical assistance provided refugees during their first 36 months in the United States.

Includes job or language training as an eligibility requirement for cash assistance. Terminates such assistance (after opportunity for hearing) if a refugee refuses appropriate employment or training. Prohibits such assistance to full-time students in institutions of higher education.

Requires welfare agencies to notify the sponsoring agency when a refugee applies for assistance.

Requires the Director to report to Congress: (1) by January 1, 1983, on the need for an aid program for refugee-concentrated areas; and (2) by September 30, 1983, on the feasibility of establishing refugee orientation centers.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 97th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 357 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

357 yea58 nay17 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(194)

Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-15
Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Geraldine FerraroD-NY-9
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Donald BaileyD-PA-21
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Joseph SmithD-PA-3
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Peter PeyserD-NY-23
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-22
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Robert ShamanskyD-OH-12
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD-1
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-11
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-9
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. William PatmanD-TX-14
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5

Republicans who voted yea(162)

Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Lawrence DeNardisR-CT-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Charles DoughertyR-PA-4
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-19
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Eugene AtkinsonR-PA-25
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Huey DeckardR-IN-8
Rep. James NelliganR-PA-11
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Arlen ErdahlR-MN-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-17
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John NapierR-SC-6
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-7
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. James DunnR-MI-6
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-13
Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
Rep. James CoyneR-PA-8
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. Bobbi FiedlerR-CA-21
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. William CarneyR-NY-1
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Edward WeberR-OH-9
Rep. George WortleyR-NY-32
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
Rep. David MartinR-NY-30
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Cleveland BenedictR-WV-2
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Thomas EvansR-IA-3
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-12
Rep. Hal DaubR-NE-2
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. David StatonR-WV-3
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-42
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Gregory CarmanR-NY-3
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
Rep. Gary LeeR-NY-33
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Eugene ChappieR-CA-1
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. John LeBoutillierR-NY-6
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-18
Rep. Kenneth KramerR-CO-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-37
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Mark SiljanderR-MI-4
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
Rep. Clint RobertsR-SD-2
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. John WeberR-MN-6
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Wendell BaileyR-MO-8
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-10
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-34
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-29
Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
Rep. David DreierR-CA-35
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 507 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. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. 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.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Constitution 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

Oct 25, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-363.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Oct 13, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 1, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
Sep 29, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
Sep 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
Sep 15, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Constitution Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Sep 13, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Constitution Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Jun 29, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Constitution Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Jun 24, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
Jun 22, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 357 - 58 (Record Vote No: 162).House roll call 162
FloorFloor · House Agreed to Amendments Adopted by the Committee of the Whole.
May 17, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
May 12, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
May 5, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
Apr 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
Mar 22, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
Mar 17, 1982CommitteeCommittee · 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.