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Congressional Award Amendments of 1985

Public Law 99-161 · H.R. 3447 · 99th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 25, 1985 · Education

Sponsor: Rep. John Williams (D-MT-1)

Cosponsors (1): Rep. James Howard

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.

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Summary

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

Congressional Award Amendments of 1985 - Amends the Congressional Award Act to require the congressional leaders responsible for appointing members to the Congressional Award Board to each appoint a Member of Congress to such Board.

Changes the present staggered terms of Board members to terms of four years, unless such members are reappointed. Changes the termination date of the Board from November 16, 1985 to November 16, 1988.

Limits the annual salary of Board members to a specified amount. Allows, after calendar year 1986, an increase in such amount in proportion to the Consumer Price Index.

Authorizes the Board to award scholarships to recipients of Congressional Award Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals. (Currently, scholarships are awarded only to recipients of gold medals.)

Requires the Board to report the administrative expenditures of each member, officer, employee, and consultant in its annual report.

Requires the Board to meet at least twice a year with at least one meeting in the District of Columbia. (Currently, the Board is required to meet once annually.)

Requires the Board's bylaws and regulations to include provisions to prevent any conflict of interest in procurement and employment actions. Requires such bylaws to include appropriate fiscal control, funds accountability, and operating principles to ensure compliance with the general operating and expenditure authority of the Board. Requires that a copy of such bylaws be submitted to the Congress within 90 days of enactment of this Act, and not later than ten days after revisions.

Authorizes the Board to permit donors to use its name or the name "Congressional Award Program" in advertising.

Requires the General Accounting Office to audit and evaluate the Board at least biennially and report on the first audit after the enactment of this Act by May 15, 1988.

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. 15 actions.

  1. Nov 25, 1985Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-161.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 15, 1985PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 14, 1985Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Nov 13, 1985FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  6. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  7. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  8. Oct 29, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  9. Oct 28, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  10. Oct 24, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
  11. Oct 23, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Education and Workforce Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
  13. Sep 30, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
  14. Sep 26, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
  15. 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.