InsideGov
Congress · Laws

A bill to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes.

Public Law 114-216 · S. 764 · 114th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Jul 29, 2016 · Agriculture and Food

Sponsor: Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)

Cosponsors (1): Sen. Dan Sullivan

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 306 yea, 117 nay306–117
  • SenateRecorded vote: 63 yea, 30 nay63–30
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.

Report a correction

Summary

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

This bill amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to establish a national mandatory bioengineered food disclosure standard. (Bioengineered food is commonly referred to as a genetically modified organism or GMO food.)

(Sec. 1) Bioengineered food is food that that has been genetically modified in a way that could not be obtained through conventional breeding or found in nature.

The standard applies to any claim in a disclosure a food bears indicating that the food is bioengineered and to any food subject to the labeling requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

It applies to foods subject to labeling requirements under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, or the Egg Products Inspection Act if: (1) the most predominant ingredient would independently be subject to the FFDCA labeling requirements; or (2) the most predominant ingredient is broth, stock, water, or a similar solution and the second-most predominant ingredient would independently be subject to the FFDCA labeling requirements.

Within two years of enactment of this bill, USDA must establish: (1) a national mandatory bioengineered food disclosure standard for any bioengineered food and any food that may be bioengineered, and (2) requirements and procedures to carry out the standard.

Regulations prescribing the labeling of bioengineered food must:

• prohibit a food derived from an animal from being considered bioengineered solely because the animal consumed feed produced from, containing, or consisting of a bioengineered substance;

• determine the amounts of a bioengineered substance that may be present for a food to be bioengineered;

• establish a process for requesting and granting a USDA determination regarding other factors and conditions under which a food is considered bioengineered;

• require the form of disclosure to be a text, symbol, or electronic or digital link (excluding Internet website Uniform Resource Locators not embedded in the link) with the disclosure option to be selected by the food manufacturer; and

• provide alternative reasonable disclosure options for food contained in small or very small packages.

For small food manufacturers, the regulations must provide: (1) an implementation date that is no earlier than one year after the implementation date of the regulations; and (2) additional on-package disclosure options to be selected by the manufacturer that consist of: a telephone number with language indicating that it provides access to additional information, and an Internet website maintained by the manufacturer.

The regulations must exclude: (1) food served in a restaurant or similar retail food establishment, and (2) very small food manufacturers.

A bioengineered food that has successfully completed the pre-market federal regulatory review process shall not be treated as safer than, or not as safe as, a non-bioengineered counterpart solely because the food is bioengineered or produced or developed with bioengineering.

USDA must: (1) conduct a study to identify potential technological challenges that may impact whether consumers would have access to the bioengineering disclosure through electronic or digital disclosure methods, and (2) provide additional disclosure options if it determines that consumers will not have sufficient access to disclosures through electronic or digital methods.

USDA must ensure that specified on-package language accompanies electronic or digital link disclosures and telephone number disclosures.

USDA must also ensure that an electronic or digital link disclosure:

• provides access to the disclosure located in a consistent and conspicuous manner on the first product information page that appears, excluding marketing and promotional information;

• may not collect, analyze, or sell personally identifiable information about consumers or their devices unless the information is necessary to carry out the bill and is deleted immediately after it is used;

• includes a telephone number that provides access to the disclosure; and

• is of sufficient size to be easily and effectively scanned or read by a digital device.

The bill prohibits states or political subdivisions of states from establishing or continuing requirements for labeling or disclosure of bioengineered or genetically engineered food that are not identical to the mandatory disclosure standard established by this bill.

This bill prohibits a person from knowingly failing to make a disclosure required by the standard. Each person subject to the mandatory disclosure requirement must maintain records necessary to establish compliance and provide the records to USDA upon request. USDA may conduct examinations and audits related to compliance, subject to requirements for notice, a public hearing, and the publication of the results. USDA may not recall any food on the basis of whether the food includes the disclosure.

A food may not include claims related to the absence of bioengineering solely based on whether or not a disclosure is required by the standard. A certification under the national organic program is sufficient to make a claim regarding the absence of bioengineering in a food.

Who voted for it

Every senator of the 114th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 63 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

63 yea30 nay7 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(21)

  • Sen. Sherrod BrownD-OH
  • Sen. Al FrankenD-MN
  • Sen. Tammy BaldwinD-WI
  • Sen. Mazie HironoD-HI
  • Sen. Barbara MikulskiD-MD
  • Sen. Bob MenendezD-NJ
  • Sen. Gary PetersD-MI
  • Sen. Debbie StabenowD-MI
  • Sen. Bill NelsonD-FL
  • Sen. Bob CaseyD-PA
  • Sen. Jeanne ShaheenD-NH
  • Sen. Amy KlobucharD-MN
  • Sen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA
  • Sen. Tim KaineD-VA
  • Sen. Thomas CarperD-DE
  • Sen. Michael BennetD-CO
  • Sen. Mark WarnerD-VA
  • Sen. Claire McCaskillD-MO
  • Sen. Heidi HeitkampD-ND
  • Sen. Joe DonnellyD-IN
  • Sen. Joe ManchinD-WV

Republicans who voted yea(42)

  • Sen. Mark KirkR-IL
  • Sen. Kelly AyotteR-NH
  • Sen. Lamar AlexanderR-TN
  • Sen. Shelley CapitoR-WV
  • Sen. Rob PortmanR-OH
  • Sen. Thad CochranR-MS
  • Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY
  • Sen. Roy BluntR-MO
  • Sen. John HoevenR-ND
  • Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT
  • Sen. Richard BurrR-NC
  • Sen. Mike RoundsR-SD
  • Sen. Cory GardnerR-CO
  • Sen. Roger WickerR-MS
  • Sen. Johnny IsaksonR-GA
  • Sen. John ThuneR-SD
  • Sen. Bill CassidyR-LA
  • Sen. Pat RobertsR-KS
  • Sen. Thom TillisR-NC
  • Sen. Jerry MoranR-KS
  • Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA
  • Sen. John CornynR-TX
  • Sen. John McCainR-AZ
  • Sen. John BoozmanR-AR
  • Sen. John BarrassoR-WY
  • Sen. Ron JohnsonR-WI
  • Sen. Deb FischerR-NE
  • Sen. Michael EnziR-WY
  • Sen. Joni ErnstR-IA
  • Sen. Bob CorkerR-TN
  • Sen. Jim InhofeR-OK
  • Sen. Steve DainesR-MT
  • Sen. Mike CrapoR-ID
  • Sen. Richard ShelbyR-AL
  • Sen. James RischR-ID
  • Sen. Pat ToomeyR-PA
  • Sen. Tom CottonR-AR
  • Sen. Marco RubioR-FL
  • Sen. James LankfordR-OK
  • Sen. Tim ScottR-SC
  • Sen. David PerdueR-GA
  • Sen. Ted CruzR-TX
Data notes

The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 462 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

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.

Report a correction

Related bills

10 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.Con.Res. 79Related bill

    Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 719.

  • H.R. 1900Identical bill

    National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2015

  • H.R. 3134Identical billRelated bill

    Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015

  • H.R. 4394Related bill

    OCEAN Research Partnerships Act

  • H.Res. 421Related bill

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3134) to provide for a moratorium on Federal funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3504) to amend title 18…

  • H.Res. 822Procedurally-relatedRelated bill

    Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the bill (S. 764) to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of…

  • S. 1836Related bill

    Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015

  • S. 2328 · became Public Law 114-187Related bill

    Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act

  • S. 2609Related bill

    An original bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a national voluntary labeling standard for bioengineered foods, and for other purposes.

  • S. 3282Related bill

    National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2016

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 47 actions.

  1. Jul 29, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-216.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jul 19, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Jul 14, 2016Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 306 - 117 (Roll no. 466).House roll call 466
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Hes. 822, Mr. Conaway moved that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment.
  8. FloorFloor · POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to S. 764, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Welch demanded the yeas and nays, …
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with 1 hour of debate on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to S. 764.
  10. FloorFloor · ORDER OF PROCEDURE - Mr. Conaway asked unanimous consent that the question on adoption of the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to S. 764 be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule 20. Agreed to without objection. (consideration: CR…
  11. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 306 - 117 (Roll no. 466).House roll call 466
  12. Jul 12, 2016FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 822 Reported to House. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to the House amendment to S. 764. The…
  13. Jul 8, 2016FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Jul 7, 2016Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment (SA 4935) by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 30. Record Vote Number: 123.Senate roll call 123
  15. FloorFloor · Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered).
  16. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate concurred in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment (SA 4935) by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 30. Record Vote Number: 123.Senate roll call 123
  17. Jul 6, 2016FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to refer to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry the House message to accompany S. 764 with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA 4937 fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S.…
  18. FloorFloor · Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered).
  19. FloorFloor · Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 4935 invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 65 - 32. Record Vote Number: 121.Senate roll call 121
  20. Jun 29, 2016FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to refer to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry the House message to accompany S. 764 with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA 4937 made in Senate.
  21. FloorFloor · Cloture motion on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 4935 presented in Senate.
  22. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 4935 made in Senate.
  23. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 3450 rendered moot in Senate.
  24. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 3450 withdrawn in Senate.
  25. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to refer to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation the House message to accompany S. 764 withdrawn in Senate.
  26. FloorFloor · Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered).
  27. FloorFloor · Motion to lay before the Senate a Message from the House to accompany S. 764 agreed to by Yea-Nay Vote. 68 - 29. Record Vote Number: 117.Senate roll call 117
  28. Mar 16, 2016FloorFloor · Motion by Senator McConnell to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 3450 entered in Senate.
  29. FloorFloor · Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 3450 not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 48 - 49. Record Vote Number: 37.Senate roll call 37
  30. FloorFloor · Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered).
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

Report a correction

Amendments

40 amendments offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

Where each amendment ended up

  • S.Amdt. 4972SenateSen. Ben SasseR-NE· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4971SenateSen. Jon TesterD-MT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4970SenateSen. Jeff MerkleyD-OR· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4969SenateSen. Jeff MerkleyD-OR· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4968SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4967SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4966SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4965SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4964SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4963SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4962SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4961SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4960SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4959SenateSen. Richard BlumenthalD-CT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4958SenateSen. Al FrankenD-MN· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4955SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4954SenateSen. Lisa MurkowskiR-AK· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4953SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4952SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4951SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4950SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4949SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4948SenateSen. Bernie SandersD-VT· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4947SenateSen. Rand PaulR-KY· offered Jul 6, 2016No vote recorded

    Jul 6, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4946SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016No vote recorded

    Jun 29, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4945SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016No vote recorded

    Jun 29, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4944SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016No vote recorded

    Jun 29, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4943SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016No vote recorded

    Jun 29, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4942SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016No vote recorded

    Jun 29, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4941SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016No vote recorded

    Jun 29, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4939SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016Fell

    To change the enactment date.

    Jul 6, 2016: SA 4939 fell when SA 4938 fell. (consideration: CR S4800)

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4938SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016Fell

    To change the enactment date.

    Jul 6, 2016: SA 4938 fell when SA 4937 fell. (consideration: CR S4800)

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4937SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016Fell

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Jul 6, 2016: SA 4937 (the instructions of the motion to refer) fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 764 with an amendment SA 4935. (consideration: CR S4800)

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4936SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Jun 29, 2016Rejected

    To change the enactment date.

    Jul 7, 2016: Amendment SA 4936 not agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

    Rejected

  • S.Amdt. 4935SenateSen. Pat RobertsR-KS· offered Jun 29, 2016Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Jul 7, 2016: Amendment SA 4935 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 30. Record Vote Number: 123.

    Agreed to

  • S.Amdt. 3455SenateSen. Joe DonnellyD-IN· offered Mar 16, 2016No vote recorded

    Mar 16, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 3454SenateSen. Jeanne ShaheenD-NH· offered Mar 15, 2016No vote recorded

    Mar 15, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 3453SenateSen. Jeanne ShaheenD-NH· offered Mar 15, 2016No vote recorded

    Mar 15, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 3451SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Mar 15, 2016No vote recorded

    Mar 15, 2016: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 3450SenateSen. Pat RobertsR-KS· offered Mar 14, 2016Fell

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Jun 29, 2016: SA 3450 fell when the motion to concur in the House amendment to S.764 with an amendment SA 3450 withdrawn. (consideration: CR S4704)

    Fell
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.