Congress · Laws

Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments of 1986

Public Law 99-551 · H.R. 4116 · 99th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 27, 1986 · Social Welfare

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

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 366 yea, 33 nay366–33
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.

Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments of 1986 - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (the Act) to set forth a volunteerism policy for ACTION, the Federal domestic volunteer agency.

Revises provisions relating to the recruitment and assignment of volunteers under the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program. Requires the ACTION Director (the Director) to report on such recruitment and assignment activities to the appropriate congressional committees within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year.

Establishes a VISTA Literacy Corps to expand efforts to address the problem of illiteracy. Provides for assignment of volunteers to projects and programs that provide assistance to functionally illiterate and illiterate individuals who are unserved or underserved by existing literacy education programs, with special emphasis upon disadvantaged individuals having the highest risk of illiteracy, and individuals with the lowest reading and educational level of competence. Sets forth priorities for such programs and projects. Provides that the Literacy Corps shall consist of all VISTA volunteers who are working on literacy projects and programs. Provides that specified funds made available for the Literacy Corps shall be used to supplement and not supplant the level of services under VISTA provisions in FY 1986 to address the problem of illiteracy.

Adds a description of the purposes of the University Year for ACTION (UYA) program of full-time volunteer antipoverty service-learning by students enrolled in institutions of higher education.

Includes Indian reservations among the areas where special volunteer programs may be located.

Includes Indian groups under the definitions of "public agencies or organizations" and "Federal, State, or local agencies" for purposes of the Act.

Sets forth provisions relating to volunteers serving without stipend.

Revises provisions for Foster Grandparent Programs and for the Senior Companion Program to allow individuals who are not low-income persons to serve as nonstipend volunteers in such programs under specified conditions.

Sets forth evaluation requirements. Requires each program under the Act to be evaluated at least once every three years.

Requires the Director, by December 31, 1988, to: (1) evaluate the impact of ACTION Agency programs carried out under title II (National Older American Volunteer Programs) that relate to services that assist families caring for frail and disabled adult family members; (2) evaluate the impact of nonstipend volunteers who participate in Foster Grandparent and Senior Companions programs; and (3) report on such evaluations to specified congressional committees.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for the following National Volunteer Antipoverty Programs: (1) Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) with separate authorization of appropriations for the VISTA Literacy Corps; (2) service-learning programs; and (3) special volunteer programs.

Requires that, from national volunteer antipoverty program funding for FY 1987 through 1989, amounts be first made available as are necessary to provide specified minimum amounts of VISTA volunteer service years.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for the following National Older American Volunteer Programs: (1) Retired Senior Volunteer Program; (2) Foster Grandparent Program; and (3) Senior Companion Program.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for administration and coordination under the Act.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 99th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 366 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

366 yea33 nay33 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(231)

Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
Rep. Gus SavageD-IL-2
Rep. Charles HayesD-IL-1
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11
Rep. Major OwensD-NY-12
Rep. George CrockettD-MI-13
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-16
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-8
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-30
Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-18
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-9
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Albert BustamanteD-TX-23
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17
Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-6
Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-21
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Kenneth GrayD-IL-22
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. Catherine LongD-LA-8
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-34
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Edward FeighanD-OH-19
Rep. Douglas BoscoD-CA-1
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-19
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Jim BatesD-CA-44
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-8
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Terry BruceD-IL-19
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-14
Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
Rep. Charles DowdyD-MS-4
Rep. Harry ReidD-NV-1
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. William BonerD-TN-5
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-1
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Buddy MacKayD-FL-6
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Robin TallonD-SC-6
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Richard StallingsD-ID-2
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-23
Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Richard ShelbyD-AL-7
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
Rep. Tommy RobinsonD-AR-2
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Royden DysonD-MD-1
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. James LeathD-TX-11
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Richard RayD-GA-3
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. Buddy RoemerD-LA-4
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17

Republicans who voted yea(135)

Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. George WortleyR-NY-27
Rep. Joseph DioGuardiR-NY-20
Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
Rep. John McKernanR-ME-1
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John RowlandR-CT-5
Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
Rep. Paul HenryR-MI-5
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-13
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-14
Rep. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-31
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-12
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. John McCainR-AZ-1
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
Rep. Thomas EvansR-IA-3
Rep. William FranklinR-MS-2
Rep. Bill SchuetteR-MI-10
Rep. William HendonR-NC-11
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. James LightfootR-IA-5
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
Rep. William CarneyR-NY-1
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Mac SweeneyR-TX-14
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-20
Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Daniel SlaughterR-VA-7
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Fred EckertR-NY-30
Rep. Hal DaubR-NE-2
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Kenneth KramerR-CO-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Mark SiljanderR-MI-4
Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
Rep. Andy IrelandR-FL-10
Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
Rep. Bobbi FiedlerR-CA-21
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Eldon BoulterR-TX-13
Rep. Michael StrangR-CO-3
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-24
Rep. William CobeyR-NC-4
Rep. Howard NielsonR-UT-3
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-38
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-37
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-42
Rep. Bob SmithR-NH-1
Rep. Connie MackR-FL-13

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 836 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

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

Education and Workforce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee · Senate · discharged from, markup by, referred to

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. 31 actions.

Oct 27, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-551.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Oct 16, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 8, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
Oct 2, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers, message on House action held at the desk.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 366 - 33 (Record Vote No: 432).House roll call 432
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 366 - 33 (Record Vote No: 432).House roll call 432
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 99-954 Filed in House.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 99-954 Filed in House.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Oct 1, 1986FloorFloor · Committee on Rules Granted a Rule Waiving All Points of Order Against the Conference Report and Against Its Consideration.
Sep 12, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Hawkins, Eckart (OH), Jeffords, Coleman (MO), Kildee, Owens, Perkins, Bruce, Petri, Tauke, Williams, Biaggi, Martinez, Hayes, Waldon, Goodling, Bartlett.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
Jul 14, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insists on its amendments, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Hatch; Hawkins; Quayle; Kennedy; Dodd.
FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Jun 25, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Jun 18, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Jun 17, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 360 - 52 (Record Vote No: 174).House roll call 174
FloorFloor · House Agreed to Amendments Adopted by the Committee of the Whole.
Jun 5, 1986FloorFloor · Rule Passed House.
May 7, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
Apr 23, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Education and Workforce Committee
Apr 17, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
Feb 26, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
Feb 18, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
Feb 4, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee

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.