Anti-Kickback Act of 1986
Public Law 99-634 · S. 2250 · 99th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 7, 1986 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI)
Cosponsors (8): Sen. William Cohen, Sen. Warren Rudman,
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.
Anti-Kickback Act of 1986 - Amends the Anti-Kickback Act to rename it the Anti-Kickback Act of 1986 and to revise its provisions regarding kickback practices by subcontractors. Prohibits the payment of kickbacks, the acceptance of kickbacks, the solicitation of kickbacks, attempted kickbacks, and the inclusion of kickback costs in contract expenses ultimately borne by the United States.
Increases criminal and civil penalties for such conduct.
Authorizes the recovery of kickback costs through administrative offsets.
Requires prime contractors to report kickback violations to appropriate agency officials or the Department of Justice.
Authorizes the contracting agency to inspect the facilities and audit the records and books of the prime contractor. (Currently, only the General Accounting Office has such authority.)
Requires each prime contract to contain requirements that the prime contractor: (1) follow reasonable procedures designed to prevent and detect kickback violations; and (2) cooperate with any Federal investigation of a kickback violation.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Judiciary Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Oversight of Government Management 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Nov 7, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-634.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 30, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 15, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment by Voice Vote.
- Oct 7, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 18, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 16, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 12, 1986FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Committee substitute, as amended, agreed to by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 9, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Aug 12, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 21, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Mar 26, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 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.