Former Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 1981
Public Law 97-37 · H.R. 1100 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 14, 1981 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Sonny Montgomery (D-MS-3)
Cosponsors (49): Rep. John Hammerschmidt, Rep. David Bowen,
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.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)
Former Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 1981 - Directs the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to establish the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War to consult concerning the administration of benefits and activities related to veterans held as prisoners of war (POW's). Requires that such committee include former POW's, disabled veterans, and individuals who are recognized authorities in certain fields of medicine. Directs the Committee to submit to the Administrator for transmittal to Congress a biennial report on such programs and activities.
Reduces from six months to 30 days the minimum period of imprisonment necessary to trigger the presumption that specified diseases and disabilities, including psychosis manifest to ten percent are confinement-related. Entitles former POW's to hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care. Entitles such veterans to priority in the furnishing of medical services.
Directs the Administrator to conduct outreach programs to inform former POW's of changes in benefits. Requires the Administrator, after consulting with the Advisory Committee, to conduct and report to Congress on the disposition of claims and on a further study of the health of former POW's.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Veterans' Affairs Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
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.
- Aug 14, 1981Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-37.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 5, 1981PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 30, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendments by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Concurred, in Senate Amendments , with Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 4, 1981FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 468 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jun 2, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 394 - 2 (Record Vote No: 57).House roll call 57
- Jun 1, 1981FloorFloor · Considered by House Vote Postponed Unfinished Business.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- May 4, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Mar 10, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Mar 4, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jan 22, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' 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.