H.R. 2196 96th Congress House

Congressional Award Act

Official title: An act to establish a Congressional Award Board to administer a Congressional Award Program designed to encourage initiative and achievement among youths.

Introduced: February 15, 1979 See on congress.gov

Government Operations and Politics Advisory bodiesAwards, medals, prizesChildren and youthCommemorations

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Congress and CongressmenCongressional tributesFederal advisory bodiesGovernment corporationsYouth

Everywhere this bill has been 17 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Nov 16, 1979

Public Law 96-114.

Nov 16, 1979

Signed by President.

Nov 7, 1979

Measure presented to President.

Nov 7, 1979

Measure enrolled in Senate.

Nov 7, 1979

Measure enrolled in House.

Nov 1, 1979

Measure passed Senate.

Nov 1, 1979

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate.

Nov 1, 1979

Measure considered in Senate.

Nov 1, 1979

Call of calendar in Senate.

Oct 30, 1979

Placed on calendar in Senate.

Oct 29, 1979

Measure passed House, amended.

Oct 29, 1979

Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended.

Oct 29, 1979

Measure considered in House.

Oct 29, 1979

Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.

Oct 16, 1979

Reported to House from the Committee on Education and Labor with amendment, H. Rept. 96-518.

Feb 15, 1979

Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.

Feb 15, 1979

Introduced in House

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Latest action November 16, 1979

Public Law 96-114.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(Measure passed House, amended)

Congressional Award Act - Establishes the Congressional Award Board which shall establish and administer the Congressional Award Program which shall be designed to promote initiative, achievement, and excellence among youths in the areas of public service, personal development, and physical and expedition fitness.

Establishes three levels of awards to be awarded to young people within the United States who have satisfied the standards of achievement established by the Board.

Authorizes the appointment, by a majority vote of the Board, of a Director who shall be the principal executive of the program and shall supervise the affairs of the Board.

Authorizes the appointment of Regional award directors for any State or other appropriate geographic area of the United States who shall solicit recommendations regarding appointment from public and private youth organizations and make recommendations to the Board.

Directs the Board to submit a report to Congress by March 1 of each year summarizing the activities of the Program.

Sets forth the powers and restrictions of the Board. Prohibits the Board from taking any action which would disqualify it from treatment as a tax-exempt organization as described in the Internal Revenue Code.

Directs the Board to provide for the establishment of a private-nonprofit corporation for the purpose of assisting the Congressional Award Program.

Specifies that the members of the board of the award program and the members of the board of the corporation shall be the same.

Allows the financial records of the Board and the corporation to be audited by the Comptroller General of the United States.

Terminates the Congressional Award Board six years after the date of enactment of this Act.

Related & companion bills 2

Bill text 1 version

Public Law PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 1

Education and Workforce Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 8

Massachusetts · Feb 15, 1979

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2196: An act to establish a Congressional Award Board to administer a Congressional Award Program designed to encourage initiative and achievement among youths.. 96th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-2196/

MLA

"H.R. 2196: An act to establish a Congressional Award Board to administer a Congressional Award Program designed to encourage initiative and achievement among youths.." 96th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-2196/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 2196, 96th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-2196/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 2196: An act to establish a Congressional Award Board to administer a Congressional Award Program designed to encourage initiative and achievement among youths.](https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-2196/)