A bill to amend section 502(a) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936.
Public Law 93-71 · H.R. 6187 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Jul 10, 1973 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Leonor Sullivan (D-MO-3)
Cosponsors (4): Rep. Frank Clark, Rep. Thomas Downing,
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.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, at any time prior to June 30, 1976, to accept a price for construction of a ship which has been negotiated between a shipyard and proposed ship purchaser if the negotiated price will result in a construction-differential subsidy that is equal to or less than forty-one percent in fiscal 1973, thirty-nine percent in fiscal 1974, thirty-seven percent in fiscal 1975, and thirty-five percent in fiscal 1976. (Amends 46 U.S.C. 1152 (a))
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · 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. 10 actions.
- Jul 10, 1973Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-71.
- Jun 30, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jun 29, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Jun 28, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jun 25, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jun 22, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- Jun 19, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Mar 27, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries 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.