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Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988

Public Law 100-680 · S. 2470 · 100th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 17, 1988 · Energy

Sponsor: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH)

Cosponsors (7): Sen. Henry Heinz,

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.

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Summary

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

Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish an industrial energy conservation and competitive technology program to conduct scientific research and development to enhance the energy efficiency and competitiveness of American steel, aluminum, and copper, and other metals industries through public-private sector partnerships. Directs the Secretary to publish an update of: (1) the Steel Management Plan issued by the Department of Energy on April 1, 1987, to include aluminum within the initiative; and (2) the Steel Initiative Research Plan issued by the Department of Energy in April 1988 to enumerate priorities with respect to steel, aluminum, copper, and other metals research and development activities.

Requires the Steel Management Plan to assure basic research support from independent non-Federal sources by coordinating plan activities with research efforts of various other Department of Energy programs.

Provides for protection of proprietary rights in connection with projects and for coordination of research and development within the Department of Energy.

Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards), through its Institute for Materials Science and Engineering and in coordination with the Department of Energy, to conduct an expanded program of steel and aluminum research in support of activities conducted under the plan.

Requires the Secretary to report annually to the President and to the Congress on research and development activities carried out under this Act.

Authorizes FY 1989 through 1991 appropriations.

Prohibits any Federal entity from obligating or spending any federally received funds unless it has in place and will administer a written policy to ensure a workplace that is free of controlled substances. Imposes a corresponding prohibition on secondary recipients of Federal funds in connection with grants, contracts, and other agreements.

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. 21 actions.

  1. Nov 17, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-680.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 7, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 21, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment. By Voice Vote.
  5. Oct 12, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  6. Oct 6, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  7. Oct 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  8. Sep 22, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Energy Research and Development Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Energy Research and Development Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  10. Sep 15, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Energy Research and Development Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  12. Sep 9, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Energy Research and Development Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  14. Sep 7, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  15. Aug 9, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
  16. Aug 2, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  17. Jul 27, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  18. Jul 1, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  19. Jun 9, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  20. Jun 6, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  21. 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.

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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.