A bill to authorize the President to prescribe regulations relating to the purchase, possession, consumption, use, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the Canal Zone.
Public Law 94-345 · H.R. 8471 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jul 8, 1976 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Ralph Metcalfe (D-IL-1)
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.
Authorizes the President to prescribe regulations relating to the purchase, possession, consumption, use, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the Canal Zone by persons under 18 years of age.
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. 12 actions.
- Jul 8, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-345.
- Jun 28, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jun 26, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Jun 25, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 24, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 18, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- May 14, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Jul 9, 1975CommitteeCommittee · 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.