An Act to amend the Act of August 31, 1922, to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases and parasites harmful to honeybees, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-319 · S. 18 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jun 25, 1976 · Agriculture and Food
Sponsor: Sen. Robert Dole (R-KS)
Cosponsors (11): Sen. Clifford Case, Sen. Pete Domenici,
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.
Prohibits the importation into the United States of all honeybees, except honeybees imported into the United States by the United States Department of Agriculture for experimental or scientific purposes, or from countries determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be free of diseases or parasites harmful to honeybees, and undesirable species or subspecies of honeybees.
Provides that honeybee semen may be imported into the United States only from countries determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be free of undesirable species or subspecies of honeybees, and which have in operation precautions adequate to prevent the importation of such undesirable honeybees and their semen.
Provides that honeybees and honeybee semen imported under this Act shall be imported under rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Treasury. States that with the exception of such imports, all honeybees and honeybee semen offered for import or intercepted entering the United States shall be destroyed or immediately exported.
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 in the United States to eradicate, suppress, control, and to prevent or retard the spread of undesirable species and subspecies of honeybees.
Authorizes the Secretary to cooperate with the Governments of Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rico, Panama, and Colombia, or the local authorities thereof, in carrying out necessary research, surveys, and control operations in those countries in connection with the eradication, suppression, control, and prevention or retardation of the spread of undesirable species and subspecies of honeybees.
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. 14 actions.
- Jun 25, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-319.
- Jun 17, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Jun 16, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 15, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment.
- Jun 7, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- May 15, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Agriculture Committee
- Jun 17, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- Jun 16, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jun 13, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Jan 15, 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.