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Intermodal Safe Container Transportation Act of 1992

Public Law 102-548 · H.R. 3598 · 102nd Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 28, 1992 · Transportation and Public Works

Sponsor: Rep. Helen Bentley (R-MD-2)

Cosponsors (38): Rep. Walter Jones,

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.

Intermodal Safe Container Transportation Act of 1992 - Amends Federal law to require any person at or before tendering to an initial carrier any container or trailer for intermodal transportation having a projected gross weight (including packing material and pallets) of more than 10,000 pounds, to certify to the carrier in writing of the actual gross cargo weight and a reasonable description of the container's or trailer's contents. Requires prior notification to the carrier of projected gross cargo weight and the contents description.

Makes it unlawful for a carrier or its agent, a broker, customs broker, freight forwarder, warehouseman, or terminal operator to fail to forward such a certification to a subsequent carrier transporting the container or trailer in intermodal transportation.

Makes it unlawful for any person: (1) to coerce or attempt to coerce a person in intermodal transportation to transport such loaded container or trailer before the required certification; or (2) knowing that such weight limits are exceeded, to coerce or attempt to coerce any carrier to transport the container or trailer, or to operate the tractor-trailer combination in violation of such limits. Makes it unlawful for a motor carrier to transport such container or trailer before receiving such certification.

Provides for State enforcement and for liens for posted bonds, fines, penalties, costs, and expenses.

Directs, the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to assess and report to specified congressional committees on: (1) existing data and data collection needs (along with any recommendations for improving data collection) with respect to the movement in intermodal transportation of loaded containers and trailers (including those containing perishable agricultural commodities) in violation of this Act and State highway motor vehicle weight laws; (2) the legal and practical impediments to such data collection; and (3) a comparison of these intermodal movements with other overweight domestic highway freight movements.

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. 13 actions.

  1. Oct 28, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-548.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 19, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 7, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Oct 4, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Mineta moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Apr 2, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  9. Nov 4, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  10. Oct 25, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Transportation and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  11. Oct 22, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  13. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.