A joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1982, and for other purposes.
Public Law 97-51 · H.J.Res. 325 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 1, 1981 · Economics and Public Finance
Sponsor: Rep. Jamie Whitten (D-MS-1)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Silvio Conte
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateRecorded vote: 64 yea, 28 nay64–28
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.
Appropriates such amounts as may be necessary in fiscal year 1982 to continue Federal activities for which specified appropriations Acts will not have been enacted prior to September 30, 1981. Funds such activities in the same manner and amounts as provided for in such Acts. States that if the Senate and the House of Representatives have both passed appropriations for an activity but in differing amounts, the lesser amount or more restrictive authority shall apply in the continuing appropriations. Declares that if an appropriations Act has passed only one House or if an activity has been funded in only one version of an Act passed by both Houses, the continuing appropriations shall not exceed the rate provided by the one House or the current rate, whichever is lower. Declares that if an appropriation Act, with the exception of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1982, has been reported to a House but not passed by that House as of October 1, 1981, it shall be deemed as having passed that House.
Provides continuing appropriations for activities conducted in fiscal year 1981, at the current rate or the rate of the budget estimate, whichever is lower and provided in: (1) Department of Defense Appropriation Act, 1981; and (2) Public Law 96-536 regarding foreign assistance and related programs.
Continues appropriations for the Legislative Branch at the rate provided in H.R. 4120 as reported July 9, 1981.
Appropriates such sums as may be necessary to continue the activities of the Department of State for contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees which were conducted in fiscal year 1981 at a rate for operations not in excess of the current rate.
Makes appropriations for the following appropriation account headings for which disbursements are made by the Secretary of the Senate, for fiscal year 1982: (1) compensation and mileage of the Vice President and Senators; (2) expense allowances of the Vice President, the President Pro Tempore, Majority and Minority Leaders, and Majority and Minority Whips; (3) salaries of officers and employees; (4) Office of the Vice President; (5) Office of the President Pro Tempore; (6) Offices of the Majority and Minority Leaders; (7) floor assistants to the Majority and Minority Leaders; (8) Offices of the Majority and Minority Whips; (9) Offices of the Secretaries of the Conference of the Majority and the Conference of the Minority; (10) Office of the Chaplain; (11) Office of the Secretary; (12) conference committees; (13) administrative, clerical, and legislative assistance to Senators; (14) Office of Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper; (15) Offices of the Secretaries for the Majority and Minority; (16) agency contributions and longevity and merit compensation; (17) Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate; (18) Office of the Senate Legal Counsel; (19) Senate procedure; (20) contingent expenses of the Senate; (21) automobiles and maintenance; (22) inquiries and investigations; (23) folding documents; (24) miscellaneous items; (25) postage stamps; and (26) stationery (Revolving Fund).
Makes continuing appropriations for the following joint items: (1) contingent expenses of the Senate for the Joint Economic Committee and the Joint Committee on Printing; (2) contingent expenses of the House for the Joint Committee on Taxation; (3) the Office of the Attending Physician; (4) the Capitol Police for general expenses of the Capitol Police Board; (5) the education of Congressional pages; (6) official mail costs; (7) salaries and expenses of the Capitol Guide Service; and (8) the preparation of required statements of appropriations.
Appropriates funds for the following Congressional offices: (1) the Office of Technology Assessment for salaries and expenses; (2) the Congressional Budget Office for salaries and expenses; (3) the Architect of the Capitol for salaries, travel, contingent expenses, the Capitol buildings and grounds, Senate office buildings, and the Capitol power plant; (4) the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses; and (5) the Government Printing Office for Congressional printing and binding.
Appropriates funds for the following Congressional agencies: (1) the Botanic Garden for salaries and expenses; (2) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, including the Copyright Office, Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Collection and Distribution of Library Materials (Special Foreign Currency Program), and furniture and furnishings; (3) the Architect of the Capitol for Library buildings and grounds; (4) the Copyright Royalty Tribunal for salaries and expenses; (5) the Government Printing Office for printing and binding, the Office of Superintendent of Documents, and the Government Printing Office revolving funds; and (6) the General Accounting Office for salaries and expenses.
Provides continuing appropriations for projects and activities financed under the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1982.
Declares that the appropriations contained in this resolution shall remain available for expenditure until: (1) enactment of the applicable appropriations Act without any provision for such activity; or (3) November 20, 1981, whichever occurs first.
Authorizes the use of appropriations contained in this resolution without regard to the time limitations for submission and approval of apportionments.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to exercise specified emergency authorities to meet the emergency facing a number of fruit producing States from the Mediterranean and other types of fruit flies, in connection with the program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Requires that there be a specified number of permanent positions in the Economic Development Administration for fiscal year 1982 that are designated as Economic Development Representatives.
Eliminates the extra full month's compensation to Senate employees payable on December 20th of each year.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Senate to disburse the compensation of Senators in the same manner as that of officers and employees of the Senate.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Senate, as Disbursing Officer, to make transfers between appropriations of funds available for disbursement for fiscal year 1982.
Makes administrative changes concerning the staffing of all statutory positions in the Office of the Secretary.
Reestablishes the Office of Classified National Security Information through fiscal year 1986.
Makes administrative changes concerning the staffing of all statutory positions in the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate.
Authorizes the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate to expend from the contingent fund of the Senate a specified amount for: (1) the procurement of individual consultants; and (2) the services of personnel of any Government department or agency with the prior consent of such department or agency.
Credits all proceeds from sales of furniture and equipment by the Sergeant at Arms to the contingent fund of the Senate.
Establishes, within the Senate, an account to be known as the "Expense Allowance for the Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate and Secretaries for the Majority and for the Minority, of the Senate."
Authorizes expenditures from the contingent fund of the Senate for the Conference of the Majority and an equal amount for the Conference of the Minority.
Sets the rate of compensation for the Chaplain of the Senate.
Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1973, to repeal the restriction concerning the percentage of a Senator's Official Office Expense Allowance which can be drawn each month.
Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1979, to provide for the compensation of Senate and House of Representatives Pages during periods of recess or adjournment.
Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1979, to limit payment of bonuses to 20 percent of Senior Executive Service Personnel.
Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1974, to permit the auditor and assistant auditor of the Senate Rules Committee to sign vouchers.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Senate to procure and furnish each fiscal year to the President of the Senate, United States special delivery postage stamps in such amount as may be necessary for the mailing of postal matters arising in connection with official business.
Provides that in the event of the death, resignation, or disability of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, the Deputy Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper shall act as Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper.
Rescinds a specified amount of funds appropriated to the Senate for salaries, officers and employees for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1980.
Requires additional items of income to be reported on the annual financial disclosure forms submitted by officers and employees of the Legislative Branch to the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate. Removes the aggregate dollar limitation on outside earned income of elected or appointed officers or employees of the Federal government.
Authorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to purchase one aircraft from appropriations for operations, research, and facilities.
Authorizes such sums as may be necessary during fiscal year 1982 for close-out expenses of the Community Services Administration.
Prohibits payment to school districts under the impact aid program from any of the funds appropriated by this resolution.
Provides for the acquisition and transportation of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve pursuant to and in accordance with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 as amended.
Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Defense for the support of the Yorktown Bicentennial Celebration.
Requires the expeditious use of amounts made available under this Act for loans to be guaranteed under the Rural Development Insurance Fund for alcohol production facilities.
Authorizes appropriations for expenses necessary for the participation of the United States in a Multinational Force and Observers to implement the Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel.
Declares that it is the sense of Congress that the dollar limits on tax deductions for living expenses of Members of Congress while away from home shall be the same as such limits for businessmen and other private citizens.
Limits the number of full-time officers and employees of the Senate and of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol who are assigned to the Senate.
Prohibits the use of any funds appropriated to implement plans, drawings, architectural engineering work, design work, site preparation or acquisition for or the construction of any new Senate office buildings or addition to existing Senate office buildings (with the exception of the construction and completion of the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building).
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 97th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 65 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
65 yea28 nay7 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(23)
- Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
Sen. Christopher DoddD-CT- Sen. Gary HartD-CO
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV- Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
- Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. George MitchellD-ME
- Sen. Bill BradleyD-NJ
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
- Sen. David PryorD-AR
- Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
- Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
- Sen. John MelcherD-MT
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. John GlennD-OH
- Sen. Alan DixonD-IL
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
Republicans who voted yea(42)
- Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
- Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
- Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
- Sen. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. William CohenR-ME
- 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. 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. Mack MattinglyR-GA
- 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. Don NicklesR-OK
- Sen. Samuel HayakawaR-CA
- Sen. Dan QuayleR-IN
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Gordon HumphreyR-NH
- Sen. John EastR-NC
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 302 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 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. 35 actions.
- Oct 1, 1981Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-51.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 30, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendments No. 46 by Yea-Nay Vote. 48-44. Record Vote No: 304.Senate roll call 304
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendments No. 36. By Yea-Nay Vote. 48-44. Record Vote No: 303.Senate roll call 303
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendments Nos. 16, 31, 43, and 44. By Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-28. Record Vote No: 302.Senate roll call 302
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-28. Record Vote No: 302.Senate roll call 302
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report considered in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Receded and Concurred With an Amendment in Senate Amendments 016, 031, 036, 043, 044, 046.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 97-260 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 97-260 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendments No. 46 by Yea-Nay Vote. 48-44. Record Vote No: 304.Senate roll call 304
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendments No. 36. By Yea-Nay Vote. 48-44. Record Vote No: 303.Senate roll call 303
- Sep 28, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference held.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conference held.
- Sep 25, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Whitten, Boland, Natcher, Smith (IA), Addabbo, Long (MD), Yates, Roybal, Bevill, Benjamin, Ginn, Dixon, Fazio, Conte, McDade, Edwards (AL), Myers, Young (FL), Kemp, Burgener, O'Brien.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate requests a conference. Appoints conferees. Hatfield; Stevens; Weicker; McClure; Laxalt; Garn; Schmitt; Cochran; Andrews; Abdnor; Kasten; D'Amato; Mattingly; Rudman; Specter; Proxmire; Stennis; Byrd, of WV; Inouye; Hollings; Eagleton; Chiles; Johnston; Huddleston; Burdick;…
- FloorFloor · Senate insists on its amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 47-44. Record Vote No: 287.Senate roll call 287
- Sep 24, 1981FloorFloor · The decision of the chair that the amendment SU425 was out of order was sustained. By Yea-Nay Vote. 60-32. Record Vote No: 283.Senate roll call 283
- FloorFloor · The decision of the chair that SU420 was out of order did not stand as the judgement of the Senate. By Yea-Nay Vote. 44-54. Record Vote No: 280.Senate roll call 280
- Sep 23, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Appropriations Committee
- Sep 17, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
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.