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Maritime Appropriation Authorization Act of 1975

Public Law 94-127 · S. 1542 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Nov 13, 1975 · Economics and Public Finance

Sponsor: Sen. Russell Long (D-LA)

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.

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Summary

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

Maritime Appropriation Authorization Act - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1976 to the Department of Commerce for: (1) acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of vessels and for construction-differential subsidy; (2) payment of obligations incurred for operating differential subsidy; (3) research and development; (4) reserve fleet expenses; (5) maritime training at the Merchant Marine Academy; and (6) financial assistance to State marine schools.

Authorizes supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 1976 as may be necessary for specified expenses of the Merchant Marine Academy.

Provides that not less than 10 percent of any funds appropriated for construction differential subsidy and operating differential shall be allocated to each range of ports, consisting of the Atlantic, Great Lakes, Gulf, and Pacific ranges. Requires annual reports from the Secretary of Commerce to the Congress on actions to assure that direct and adequate service is provided by United States-flag commercial vessels to each such range of ports.

Increases the statutory limitation on Federal ship mortgage guarantees to $7,000,000,000.

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Nov 13, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public law 94-127.
  3. Nov 3, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. Oct 31, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Oct 20, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
  8. Oct 9, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
  10. Oct 3, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-529.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-529.
  12. Oct 2, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 94-407.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 94-407.
  14. Jun 5, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
  15. May 15, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
  16. May 12, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 3902.
  17. Apr 29, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
  18. Apr 25, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  19. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.