A joint resolution designating May 21, 1983, as "Andrei Sakharov Day".
Public Law 98-30 · S.J.Res. 51 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 18, 1983 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Sen. Robert Dole (R-KS)
Cosponsors (30): Sen. Daniel Moynihan, Sen. Strom Thurmond,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 420 yea, 0 nay420–0
- 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.
Designates May 21, 1983, as National Andrei Sakharov Day. Authorizes and requests the President to: (1) call upon all nations to designate May 21, 1983, as National Andrei Sakharov Day; (2) urge the Soviet Union to permit the Sakharovs to freely choose their place of residence; and (3) direct the American delegation to the United Nations to introduce a resolution in the General Assembly calling upon that body to designate May 21, 1983, as International Andrei Sakharov Day.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 421 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
421 yea0 nay11 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(256)
- 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. James ScheuerD-NY-8
- 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. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
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. James WeaverD-OR-4
- 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. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
- 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. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
- 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. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
- 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. Richard ShelbyD-AL-7- Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
- Rep. Richard RayD-GA-3
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4- Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
- Rep. James LeathD-TX-11
- Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-10
- Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
- Rep. Buddy RoemerD-LA-4
- Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
- Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7
Republicans who voted yea(165)
- 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. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- 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. Carl PursellR-MI-2
- Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
- Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
- Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
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. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. David MartinR-NY-26
- Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-14
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
- Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
- Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
- Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5- Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
- Rep. Thomas EvansR-IA-3
- Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
- Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
- Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
- Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
- Rep. George WortleyR-NY-27
- Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8- Rep. James CourterR-NJ-12
- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
- Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
- Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
- Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
- Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
- Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
- Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
- Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6- Rep. William CarneyR-NY-1
- Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
- Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. William FranklinR-MS-2
- Rep. Bobbi FiedlerR-CA-21
- Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
- Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
- Rep. Jack KempR-NY-31
- Rep. Edwin ZschauR-CA-12
- Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-35- Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
- Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
- 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. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
- Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
- Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
- Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
- Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
- Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
- Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
- Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
- Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
- Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-13
Rep. John McCainR-AZ-1- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
- Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45- Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
- Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-13
- Rep. Hal DaubR-NE-2
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4- Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
- Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
- Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-14
- Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. Eugene ChappieR-CA-2
- Rep. Mark SiljanderR-MI-4
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
- Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
- Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
- Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
- Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
- Rep. Kenneth KramerR-CO-5
- Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2- Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-30
- Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
- Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
- Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-37
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1- Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
- Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9- Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
- Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
- Rep. Hank BrownR-CO-4
- Rep. Steve BartlettR-TX-3
- Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
- Rep. Connie MackR-FL-13
Rep. Larry CraigR-ID-1- Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-24
- Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-42- Rep. Howard NielsonR-UT-3
- Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
- Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
- Rep. Thomas HartnettR-SC-1
- Rep. Phil GrammR-TX-6
- Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6- Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
- Rep. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. David DreierR-CA-33- Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
- Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
- Rep. Denny SmithR-OR-5
- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
- Rep. Daniel CraneR-IL-19
- Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
Rep. Ron PaulR-TX-22
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 116 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, markup by, 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. 13 actions.
- May 18, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-30.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 17, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- FloorFloor · Passed House by Yea-Nay Vote: 420 - 0 (Record Vote No: 124).House roll call 124
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- May 11, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Apr 18, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Apr 13, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- Apr 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 3, 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.