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A bill to amend sections 2733, 2734, and 2736 of title 10, United States Code and section 715 of title 32, United States Code, to increase the maximum amount of a claim against the United States that may be paid administratively under those sections and to allow increased delegation of authority to settle and pay certain of those claims, and for other purposes.

Public Law 98-564 · H.R. 597 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 30, 1984 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Sam Hall (D-TX-1)

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Increases from $25,000 to $100,000 the maximum amount for which the Judge Advocate General of an armed force, or the Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard, may settle a claim against the United States for damage or loss of real or personal property, or for personal injury or death.

Permits the Secretary concerned to report any meritorious amount in excess of the maximum to the Comptroller General for payment under the Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1957. Permits the settlement of claims for $25,000 or less to be delegated. Permits the payment of a claim in excess of $10,000 by an appointed officer for losses involving a foreign country. Makes similar allowances for the payment of meritorious claims in excess of $100,000.

Increases from $1,000 to $10,000 the amount of advanced payment allowed against a certain, but not yet submitted, claim.

Makes similar changes in claims provisions concerning the National Guard.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee
  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Human Rights and the Law 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Oct 30, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-564.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 19, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 11, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Oct 3, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  6. Aug 2, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  7. Jul 11, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  9. Oct 28, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  10. Oct 25, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  11. Oct 24, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  12. Oct 6, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  13. Sep 27, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  14. May 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  16. Mar 23, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  17. Feb 4, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  18. Jan 6, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  19. 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.