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United States Commission on Civil Rights Act of 1983

Public Law 98-183 · H.R. 2230 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 30, 1983 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Sponsor: Rep. Don Edwards (D-CA-10)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • SenateRecorded vote: 78 yea, 3 nay78–3
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.

(Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #360 (78-3))

United States Commission on Civil Rights Act of 1983 - Establishes a Commission on Civil Rights (Commission). Provides that the Commission be composed of eight members: (1) four members appointed by the President; (2) two members appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate; and (3) two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sets a six year term of office. Provides that the President may remove a member only for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Provides rules of procedure for Commission hearings.

Requires the Commission to: (1) investigate allegations of citizens being denied their right to vote by reason of their color, religion, sex, age, handicap or national origin; (2) study and collect information concerning discrimination or a denial of equal protection; (3) appraise Federal laws and policy with respect to discrimination and the denial of equal protection; and (4) serve as a national clearinghouse for such information.

Prohibits the Commission from investigating any membership practice or internal operation of any fraternal organization, college or university fraternity or sorority, private club or religious organization. Prohibits the Commission from collecting or studying information with respect to abortion.

Directs the Commission to appraise the laws and policies of the Federal Government with respect to denials of equal protection involving Americans who are members of eastern - and southern - European ethic groups.

Authorizes appropriations through FY 1989.

Who voted for it

Every senator of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 84 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

84 yea3 nay13 present or did not vote

Dimension 2
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(36)

  • Sen. Howard MetzenbaumD-OH
  • Sen. William ProxmireD-WI
  • Sen. Carl LevinD-MI
  • Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA
  • Sen. John MelcherD-MT
  • Sen. Paul SarbanesD-MD
  • Sen. Donald RiegleD-MI
  • Sen. Frank LautenbergD-NJ
  • Sen. Christopher DoddD-CT
  • Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT
  • Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
  • Sen. Paul TsongasD-MA
  • Sen. James SasserD-TN
  • Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
  • Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
  • Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE
  • Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
  • Sen. George MitchellD-ME
  • Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
  • Sen. Jeff BingamanD-NM
  • Sen. Max BaucusD-MT
  • Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV
  • Sen. Daniel MoynihanD-NY
  • Sen. Bill BradleyD-NJ
  • Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
  • Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
  • Sen. Dennis DeConciniD-AZ
  • Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
  • Sen. James ExonD-NE
  • Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
  • Sen. Russell LongD-LA
  • Sen. David BorenD-OK
  • Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
  • Sen. John StennisD-MS
  • Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL
  • Sen. Edward ZorinskyD-NE

Republicans who voted yea(48)

  • Sen. Mark AndrewsR-ND
  • Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
  • Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
  • Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA
  • Sen. William CohenR-ME
  • Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
  • Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
  • Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
  • Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
  • Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
  • Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
  • Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
  • Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
  • Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
  • Sen. Paula HawkinsR-FL
  • Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
  • Sen. Thad CochranR-MS
  • Sen. John DanforthR-MO
  • Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA
  • Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
  • Sen. Daniel EvansR-WA
  • Sen. John WarnerR-VA
  • Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
  • Sen. Roger JepsenR-IA
  • Sen. Paul TribleR-VA
  • Sen. William RothR-DE
  • Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
  • Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
  • Sen. James AbdnorR-SD
  • Sen. Mack MattinglyR-GA
  • Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
  • Sen. Warren RudmanR-NH
  • Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
  • Sen. Pete WilsonR-CA
  • Sen. Richard LugarR-IN
  • Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
  • Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
  • Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
  • Sen. Jacob HechtR-NV
  • Sen. John TowerR-TX
  • Sen. William ArmstrongR-CO
  • Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT
  • Sen. Gordon HumphreyR-NH
  • Sen. Dan QuayleR-IN
  • Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
  • Sen. James McClureR-ID
  • Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY
  • Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Data notes

The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 350 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.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee
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. 16 actions.

  1. Nov 30, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-183.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 18, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 16, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments.
  5. Nov 14, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 78-3. Record Vote No: 360.Senate roll call 360
  6. Nov 9, 1983FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  7. Aug 4, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  8. Aug 3, 1983FloorFloor · Rule Passed House.
  9. May 17, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  10. May 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  12. May 10, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  13. Apr 7, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  14. Mar 24, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  15. Mar 22, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  16. 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.

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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.