A joint resolution to extend the term of the Presidential Commission for the German-American Tricentennial, and for other purposes.
Public Law 98-197 · H.J.Res. 405 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 1, 1983 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. James Courter (R-NJ-12)
Cosponsors: None
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.
Extends, from January 31, 1984, to October 31, 1984, the term of the Presidential Commission for the German-American Tricentennial to enable the Commission to complete its work on the German-American Friendship Garden.
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.
- Dec 1, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-197.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 23, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 18, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- Nov 17, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Judiciary Committee
- Nov 7, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Nov 4, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Oct 28, 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.