A bill to establish a commission to assist in the first observance of the Federal legal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Public Law 98-399 · H.R. 5890 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 27, 1984 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Katie Hall (D-IN-1)
Cosponsors (79): Rep. James Courter, Rep. Tip O’Neill,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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.
Establishes a commission to be known as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission to: (1) encourage appropriate ceremonies and activities throughout the United States relating to the first observance of the Federal legal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.; and (2) provide advice and assistance to the Federal Government and to State and local governments and private organizations with respect to the observance of the holiday. Sets forth requirements regarding the membership and staff of the Commission.
Authorizes the heads of all Government departments and agencies, upon the request of the Commission, to detail any of their personnel to the Commission and to otherwise assist the Commission in carrying out its responsibilities under this Act.
Requires that all of the Commission's expenditures be made from donated funds.
Directs the Commission, not later than April 20, 1986, to report to the President and the Congress concerning its activities under this Act. Terminates the Commission after the submission of such report.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Census and Population 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Aug 27, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-399.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 20, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 8, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Aug 1, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jul 31, 1984FloorFloor · Ordered held at the desk until the close of business on August 1, 1984. By Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 30, 1984FloorFloor · Ordered held at the desk until the close of business on July 31, 1984. By Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 27, 1984FloorFloor · Held at the desk by unanimous consent. Until the close of business on July 30, 1984.
- Jul 26, 1984FloorFloor · Received in the Senate and held at the desk by unanimous consent. Until the close of business Friday, July 27, 1984.
- Jul 24, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Jul 23, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jun 27, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jun 20, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jun 19, 1984CommitteeCommittee · 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.