An Act to improve judicial machinery by amending the requirement for a three-judge court in certain cases, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-381 · S. 537 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Aug 12, 1976 · Law
Sponsor: Sen. Quentin Burdick (D-ND)
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.
Repeals the provisions of Federal judicial procedure which require that injunctions against enforcement of Federal and State statutes upon the ground of unconstitionality be heard and determined by a three-judge district court. (Repeals 28 U.S.C. 2281, 2282)
Provides that a district court of three judges shall be convened when required by Act of Congress, or when an action is filed challenging the constitionality of the apportionment of congressional districts or the apportionment of any statewide legislative body.
Makes provisions for the composition and procedure of any three-judge court required to be convened under this Act.
States that any action, suit, or proceeding in a court of the United States to which a State or any agency, officer, or employee thereof is not a party, wherein the constitutionality of any statute of that State affecting the public interest is drawn in question, the court shall certify such fact to the attorney general of the State, and shall permit the State to intervene for presentation of evidence, if evidence is otherwise admissible in the case, and for argument on the question of constitutionality. (Amends 28 U.S.C. 2284, 2403)
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. 12 actions.
- Aug 12, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-381.
- Aug 4, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Aug 2, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, in lieu of H.R. 6150.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 23, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 20, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Jun 18, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Feb 3, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary 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.