An act to amend title 18 of the United States Code to prohibit certain tampering with consumer products, and for other purposes.
Public Law 98-127 · S. 216 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 13, 1983 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC)
Cosponsors (59): Sen. Joseph Biden, Sen. Patrick Leahy,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
(Measure passed House, amended (inserted text of H. R. 2174))
Federal Anti-Tampering Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it a Federal offense for any person with reckless disregard to the risk involved to tamper or attempt to tamper with a food, drug, cosmetic or household device or its label.
Provides for a prison term of up to ten years and a fine of up to $25,000 for an attempt, or if serious bodily injury or death results, a prison term of up to 20 years or life, respectively; and a fine of up to $100,000. Imposes a fine of up to $50,000 or imprisonment up to ten years in any other case.
Establishes separate penalties for: (1) threatening to tamper with a food, drug, cosmetic, household device, or label; (2) knowingly communicating false information about an actual or alleged tampering; (3) conspiring to commit any of the offenses established by this Act; or (4) intending to cause serious injury injury to a business by such tampering.
Grants the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture authority to investigate violations of this Act.
Extends the patent term for the anesthetic forane for a period of five years and three months because of a regulatory delay with the Food and Drug Administration during which the application for the drug's approval was erroneously denied.
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. 12 actions.
- Oct 13, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-127.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 3, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 30, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments. By Voice Vote.
- Sep 29, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- May 9, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- May 2, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Apr 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 4, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jan 27, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.