Savings in Construction Act of 1996
Public Law 104-289 · H.R. 2779 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 11, 1996 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA-47)
Cosponsors (86): Rep. Bill Hefner, Rep. Saxby Chambliss,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Savings in Construction Act of 1996 - Amends the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 to define specified terms, including: (1) full and open competition; (2) total installed price; (3) hard-metric; (4) cost or pricing data or price analysis; and (5) Federal facility.
Requires the implementation of such Act in the acquisition of construction services and materials for Federal facilities. Directs that if the requirements of this Act conflict with specified Federal procurement provisions, then such provisions shall take precedence.
Sets forth exceptions with respect to the implementation of such Act concerning concrete masonry units and recessed lighting fixtures. Requires the agency head to determine in writing according to specified criteria that specifications can only be satisfied by hard-metric versions.
Requires the head of each agency that awards construction contracts within the United States and its territories to designate a senior agency official as a construction metrication ombudsman to, among other things, be: (1) responsible for reviewing and responding to complaints from prospective bidders, subcontractors, suppliers, or their designated representatives concerning use of the metric system of measurement in contracts for the construction of Federal buildings; (2) independent of the contracting officer for construction contracts; and (3) responsible for ensuring that the agency is not implementing the metric system of measurement in a manner that is either impractical, likely to cause significant inefficiencies or loss of markets to U.S. firms, or inconsistent with specified guidelines while ensuring that the goals of the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 are observed.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Science, Space, and Technology Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Technology 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. 21 actions.
- Oct 11, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-289.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 30, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 28, 1996Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Walker moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 5417 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jul 29, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jul 23, 1996FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · The previous question on the amendment and the bill was ordered without objection.
- Jun 27, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Jun 26, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Jun 19, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Dec 18, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Dec 14, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.