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District of Columbia Appropriation Act, 1984

Public Law 98-125 · H.R. 3415 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 13, 1983 · Economics and Public Finance

Sponsor: Rep. Julian Dixon (D-CA-28)

Cosponsors: None

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.

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Summary

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

(House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments with an amendment)

District of Columbia Appropriation Act, 1984 - Appropriates specified sums to the District of Columbia for FY 1984 for: (1) the Federal payment to the District of Columbia, provided there are a specified number of Metropolitan police officers hired by August 19, 1982; (2) Federal loans to the District for capital outlay; (3) the Criminal Justice Emergency Initiative; (4) the Education Initiative; (5) the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and (6) Saint Elizabeths Hospital.

Appropriates specified sums out of the District of Columbia general fund for the current fiscal year for: (1) governmental direction and support; (2) economic development and regulation; (3) public safety and justice; (4) public education; (5) human support services, with a limitation on reimbursements for operating costs of Saint Elizabeths Hospital; (6) public works; (7) repayment of specified loans and interest; (8) repayment of the general fund deficit; (9) short-term borrowings; (10) reduction of the energy budgets of various agencies; (11) capital outlay; (12) the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund and water construction projects; (13) the Washington Convention Center Enterprise Fund; and (14) the Lottery and Charitable Games Enterprise Fund, provided that no Federal funds are used to support such activities.

Sets forth general provisions covering spending limitations on the appropriations made by this Act, including prohibitions against using such funds for: (1) abortions, except where the mother's life is endangered or where necessary for victims of rape or incest; and (2) reprogramming, unless the reprogramming was approved according to specified procedures.

Authorizes the Mayor to establish the salary of the City Administrator and the per diem compensation of the board members of the Redevelopment Land Agency.

Declares that the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 shall apply with respect to the compensation of District employees.

Provides for the payment of official travel expenses and for the use of privately owned motor vehicles for the performance of official duties.

Prohibits the use of funds: (1) to prepare or enforce any Public Service Commission requirement that taxicabs be metered; or (2) to implement a personnel lottery in hiring firefighters or police officers.

Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1984 to: (1) increase the appropriation for the Secretary of the Senate; and (2) decrease the appropriation for the education of pages.

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 31 actions.

  1. Oct 13, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-125.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 1, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 29, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment to Senate amendments Nos. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 20. By Voice Vote.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Receded and Concurred With an Amendment in Senate Amendments 002, 003, 005, 007, 009, 010, 011, 013, 014, 016, 020.
  8. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Unanimous Consent.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Unanimous Consent.
  10. Sep 22, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-379 Filed in House.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-379 Filed in House.
  12. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
  14. Sep 21, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Dixon, Natcher, Stokes, Wilson, Lehman (FL), Sabo, Coughlin, Green, Rogers, Conte.
  15. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  16. Jul 27, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insists on its amendments, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Specter; Hatfield; Mattingly; Domenici; Leahy; Stennis; Bumpers.
  17. FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  18. Jul 19, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Appropriations Committee
  20. Jul 14, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee
  22. Jul 13, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee
  23. Jul 1, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
  24. Jun 29, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House by Yea-Nay Vote: 296 - 124 (Record Vote No: 230).House roll call 230
  25. Jun 23, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations Committee
  26. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Appropriations Committee
  27. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
  28. Jun 16, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
  29. Jun 14, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
  30. Feb 1, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House 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.

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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.