An Act to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in order to permit the disposal of certain endangered species products and parts lawfully held within the United States on the effective date of such Act.
Public Law 94-359 · S. 229 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jul 12, 1976 · Animals
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Cosponsors (2): Sen. Edward Brooke, Sen. Lowell Weicker
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment)
Defines, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the term "pre-Act endangered species part" to mean any sperm whale oil (including derivatives thereof) or any finished scrimshaw product or raw material lawfully held within the United States on December 28, 1973, in the course of commercial activity. Defines "scrimshaw product," for purposes of the Act.
Authorizes the Secretary of Interior to exempt any pre-Act endangered species part from the export prohibitions of the Endangered Species Act. Sets forth requirements for applications for such exemptions.
Provides that any contract for the sale of pre-Act Endangered Species parts which is entered into by the Administrator of General Services prior to the effective date of this Act and pursuant to the notice published in the Federal Register on January 9, 1973 shall not be rendered invalid by virtue of the fact that fulfillment of such contract may be prohibited under such Act.
Authorizes the arrest without warrant of persons violating provisions of such Act where agents of the Secretary have reasonable grounds to believe that persons to be arrested are committing the violations in the view or presence of such agents.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · discharged from, referred to
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.
- Jul 12, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-359.
- Jul 1, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jun 30, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 29, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Jun 24, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- Feb 17, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 10229.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 15, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 14, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Apr 4, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jan 17, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation 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.