An Act to provide a People's Counsel for the Public Service Commission in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-614 · H.R. 17450 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jan 2, 1975 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Brock Adams (D-WA-7)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Establishes an Office of the People's Counsel within the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia to represent the people of the District of Columbia in all proceedings related to the rates or services furnished by public utilities under the jurisdiction of the Commission.
Stipulates that the expenses of any proceeding shall be borne by the public utility being investigated as a special franchise tax in addition to all other taxes imposed by law.
Provides that the People's Counsel: (1) may represent and appear for petitioners appearing before the Commission for the purpose of complaining in matters of rates or services; (2) may investigate the services given by, the rates charged by, and the valuation of the properties of, the public utilities under the jurisdiction of the Commission; and (3) is authorized to develop means to otherwise assure that the interest of users of the products of or services furnished by public utilities under the jurisdiction of the Commission are adequately represented in the course of proceedings before the Commission, including public information dissemination, consultative services, and technical assistance.
Authorizes to be appropriated for fiscal year 1975, such sum, not to exceed $50,000, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. States that for fiscal year 1976, and each fiscal year thereafter, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums, not to exceed $100,000 in any one fiscal year, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
District of Columbia Committee · House · referred to, reported by
District of Columbia Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by
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. 11 actions.
- Jan 2, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-614.
- Dec 30, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 20, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Dec 14, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Dec 13, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate District of Columbia Committee
- Nov 26, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate District of Columbia Committee
- Nov 25, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #643 (278-65).House roll call 643
- Nov 20, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House District of Columbia Committee
- Nov 19, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House District of Columbia 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.