A joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of Defense to provide to the Soviet Union, on a reimbursable basis, equipment and services necessary for an improved United States/Soviet Direct Communication Link for crisis control.
Public Law 99-85 · S.J.Res. 108 · 99th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 8, 1985 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. John Warner (R-VA)
Cosponsors (40): Sen. Samuel Nunn, Sen. John Chafee,
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.
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide to the Soviet Union, on a reimbursable basis, equipment and services for the improvement of the United States/Soviet Union Direct Communication Link for crisis control.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Aug 8, 1985Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-85.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 31, 1985PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 29, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 4, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- May 22, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Armed Services Committee
- May 20, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services Committee
- May 16, 1985FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- May 14, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- May 2, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Apr 4, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services 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.