A bill to amend title 18 of the United States Code to provide a criminal penalty for robbery of a controlled substance.
Public Law 98-305 · S. 422 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 31, 1984 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Sen. Roger Jepsen (R-IA)
Cosponsors (44): Sen. Strom Thurmond, Sen. Fritz Hollings,
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.
Controlled Substance Registrant Protection Act of 1984 - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish penalties for taking or attempting to take any material, compound, or prescription containing any quantity of a controlled substance by force, violence, or intimidation from a person registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Makes it a separate offense for any person to enter or attempt to enter the business premises of a pharmacy or of such a person with the intent to steal any quantity of a controlled substance.
Provides for imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $25,000, or both. Increases the fine to not more than $35,000 and imprisonment to not more than 25 years if a dangerous weapon is used. Provides for a fine of $50,000 or imprisonment for any term of years or life, or both, if any person is killed during the commission of such offense.
Imposes an additional penalty if two or more persons conspire to violate this Act.
Requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Congress on enforcement of this Act for each of the first three years after enactment of this Act.
Applies this Act to offenses involving: (1) a substance whose replacement cost to the registrant is at least $500; (2) the death or significant injury of any person; or (3) specified interstate or foreign commerce.
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. 14 actions.
- May 31, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-305.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 21, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 17, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment by Voice Vote.
- May 8, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
- Feb 29, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Feb 27, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- Feb 23, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- Feb 8, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Nov 10, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Feb 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.