An Act to clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to control and eradicate plant pests, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-231 · S. 1617 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Mar 15, 1976 · Agriculture and Food
Sponsor: Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Lawton Chiles, Sen. Dick Stone,
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 Agriculture either independently or in cooperation with States or political subdivisions thereof, farmers' associations and similar organizations, and individuals to carry out operations or measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, or to prevent or retard the spread of plant pests.
Authorizes the Secretary to cooperate with the governments of all countries of the Western Hemisphere, or the local authorities thereof, and with international organizations or associations, in carrying out necessary surveys and control operations in those countries in connection with the detection, eradication, suppression, control, and prevention or retardation of the spread of plant pests.
Authorizes the Scretary to promulgate such rules and regulations and use such means as he may deem necessary to provide for the inspection of plants and plant products offered for export or transiting the United States.
Authorizes such sums as Congress may annually determine to be necessary to carry out this Act.
Extends the Secretary's authority to cooperate with Western Hemisphere countries in animal disease control, to carriers of animal diseases. Extends such authority to cooperate to the additional following countries: Bahama Islands, the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and with international associations.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.
- Mar 15, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-231.
- Mar 3, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Mar 2, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Feb 18, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Feb 9, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-813.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-813.
- Jan 28, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Jan 21, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Nov 4, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Nov 1, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Agriculture Committee
- Sep 17, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- Sep 16, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 11, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- May 1, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.