Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Act
Official title: A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to make the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., a legal public holiday.
Public Law 98-144 · H.R. 3706 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 2, 1983 · Government Operations and Politics
Major law
Sponsor: Rep. Katie Hall (D-IN-1)
Cosponsors (108): Rep. Morris Udall, Rep. William Ford,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 338 yea, 90 nay338–90
- SenateRecorded vote: 78 yea, 22 nay78–22
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, roll call #304 (338-90))
Designates the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January, a legal holiday.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 338 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
338 yea90 nay5 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(249)
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1- Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Sala BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-18
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
- Rep. Gus SavageD-IL-2
- Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
- Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
- Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-6
- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-16
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-20
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
- Rep. Katie HallD-IN-1
- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-12
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26- Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
- Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. George CrockettD-MI-13
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2- Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
- Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-30
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Geraldine FerraroD-NY-9
- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
- Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
- Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-18
- Rep. Frank HarrisonD-PA-11
- Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
- Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-6
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
- Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
- Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-21
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3- Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
- Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7- Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
- Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
- Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-22
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
- Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
- Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9- Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-19
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
- Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
- Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
- Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
- Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. Harry ReidD-NV-1- Rep. Douglas BoscoD-CA-1
- Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
- Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-34
- Rep. James McNultyD-AZ-5
- Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-8
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. Jim BatesD-CA-44
- Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
- Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
- Rep. Robert MrazekD-NY-3
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
- Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
- Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
- Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4- Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
- Rep. William BonerD-TN-5
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5- Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
- Rep. Charles DowdyD-MS-4
- Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
- Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
- Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-6
- Rep. Edward FeighanD-OH-19
- Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD
- Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
- Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
- Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
- Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
- Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
- Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-1
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
- Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
- Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
- Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
- Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
- Rep. Charles BrittD-NC-6
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-14
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4- Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Robin TallonD-SC-6
- Rep. Royden DysonD-MD-1
- Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
- Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
- Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
- Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-23
- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
- Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE- Rep. Kent HanceD-TX-19
- Rep. Buddy MacKayD-FL-6
- Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
- Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
- Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
- Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
- Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
- Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
- Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
- Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
- Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
- Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
- Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
- Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
- Rep. William PatmanD-TX-14
- Rep. Tommy VandergriffD-TX-26
- Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4- Rep. Buddy RoemerD-LA-4
Republicans who voted yea(89)
- Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
- Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-17
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
- Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. John McKernanR-ME-1
- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
- Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
- Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
- Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
- Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
- Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-4
- Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
- Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
- Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
- Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
- Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
- Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
- Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10- Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
- Rep. Thomas EvansR-IA-3
- Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
- Rep. George WortleyR-NY-27
- Rep. James CourterR-NJ-12
- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
- Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
- Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
- Rep. Jack KempR-NY-31
- Rep. Edwin ZschauR-CA-12
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-35- Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
- Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
- Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
- Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
- Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
- Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
- Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
- Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
- Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
- Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
- Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-13
- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
- Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45- Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
- Rep. Hal DaubR-NE-2
- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-20
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4- Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
- Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-14
- Rep. Eugene ChappieR-CA-2
- Rep. Mark SiljanderR-MI-4
- Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
- Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1- Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
- Rep. Connie MackR-FL-13
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-42- Rep. Thomas HartnettR-SC-1
- Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6- Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 289 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.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · discharged from, referred to
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. 11 actions.
- Nov 2, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-144.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 21, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 19, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 78-22. Record Vote No: 303.Senate roll call 303
- Oct 18, 1983FloorFloor · Motion to commit the bill (H.R. 3706) to the Committee on the Judiciary rejected by Yea-Nay Vote. 12-76. Record Vote No: 291.Senate roll call 291
- Oct 5, 1983FloorFloor · Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 3706 withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Aug 2, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House by Yea-Nay Vote: 338 - 90 (Record Vote No: 304).House roll call 304
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 29, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service 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.