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Reorganization Act Amendments of 1984

Public Law 98-614 · H.R. 1314 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 8, 1984 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Jack Brooks (D-TX-9)

Cosponsors (1): Rep. Frank Horton

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.

Reorganization Act Amendments of 1984 - Amends the Reorganization Act of 1977 to extend the authority of the President to reorganize the executive branch.

Revises the procedure for the congressional veto of a reorganization plan. Declares that such a plan shall be effective only if: (1) both Houses of Congress pass a joint resolution approving the plan within 90 days of continuous session of Congress after the plan is transmitted to Congress; and (2) the President approves the resolution. (Under the Reorganization Act of 1977, a reorganization plan became effective if neither House passed a resolution disapproving it within 60 days.)

Lengthens the period during which the President may amend or withdraw a reorganization plan submitted to Congress, and the period by which the Committee on Government Operations of the House or the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate must report a resolution approving the plan or be discharged from consideration thereof.

Directs the President to include with each reorganization plan transmitted to Congress: (1) information describing in detail the nature and substance of actions expected to be required to implement the reorganization and the preliminary actions taken; and (2) a projected timetable for completing the implementation process.

States that a reorganization plan may not rename an existing executive department or create an independent agency.

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

  1. Nov 8, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-614.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 29, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 11, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Apr 13, 1984FloorFloor · Received in the Senate and held at the desk by unanimous consent. Pending further disposition.
  6. Apr 11, 1984FloorFloor · Received in the Senate and held at the desk by unanimous consent. Until the close of business April 12, 1984.
  7. Apr 10, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  8. Mar 30, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Rules Committee
  9. Mar 22, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Technology and the House Subcommittee of the House Rules Committee
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Technology and the House Subcommittee of the House Rules Committee
  11. May 16, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  12. May 3, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  13. Apr 28, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  15. Apr 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  16. Apr 7, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Technology and the House Subcommittee of the House Rules Committee
  17. Feb 17, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  18. Feb 8, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Rules Committee
  20. 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.