Edible Oil Regulatory Reform Act
Public Law 104-55 · H.R. 436 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 20, 1995 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Rep. Thomas Ewing (R-IL-15)
Cosponsors (84): Rep. Pat Danner, Rep. John Boehner,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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.
Edible Oil Regulatory Reform Act - Requires a Federal agency, in issuing or enforcing a regulation or guideline pertaining to the transportation, storage, or release of a fat, oil, or grease, to differentiate between: (1) animal fats and oils and greases, and fish and marine mammal oils, or vegetable oils (including oils from seeds, nuts, and kernels); and (2) other oils and greases, including petroleum.
Requires: (1) the application of appropriate standards based upon such considerations; and (2) that such differentiation consider differences in the physical, chemical, biological, and other properties, and the environmental effects of the classes.
Exempts the Food and Drug Administration and the Food Safety Inspection Service from such requirements.
Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to: (1) limit the liability of a tank vessel carrying animal fat or vegetable oil; and (2) revise minimum financial responsibility requirements.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Agriculture Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Department Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee- Energy and Commerce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Health and Environment 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.
- Nov 20, 1995Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-55.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 8, 1995PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 7, 1995Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Bilbray asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendments.
- Nov 2, 1995FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3044 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- Oct 10, 1995FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed by voice vote.
- Sep 28, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Sep 27, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Agriculture Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Health and Environment Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Sep 20, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Agriculture Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Department Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee
- Feb 27, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Health and Environment Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jan 20, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Department Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee
- Jan 9, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce 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.