A bill to authorize and direct the Librarian of Congress, subject to the supervision and authority of a Federal, civilian, or military agency, to proceed with the construction of the Library of Congress Mass Book Deacidification Facility, and for other purposes.
Public Law 98-427 · S. 2418 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Sep 28, 1984 · Arts, Culture, Religion
Sponsor: Sen. Charles Mathias (R-MD)
Cosponsors (6): Sen. Wendell Ford, Sen. Mark Hatfield,
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.
Directs the Librarian of Congress, subject to the supervision and construction authority of a Federal civilian or military agency, to construct the Library of Congress Mass Deacidification Facility. Directs the Librarian to equip, furnish, operate and maintain such facility.
Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee
Rules and Administration Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
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.
- Sep 28, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-427.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 20, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 17, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment by Voice Vote.
- Sep 11, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Jun 4, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- May 21, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- May 18, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- May 8, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Rules and Administration Committee
- May 1, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Rules and Administration Committee
- Apr 11, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Rules and Administration Committee
- Mar 13, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Rules and Administration 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.