InsideGov
Congress · Laws

National Emergencies Act

Public Law 94-412 · H.R. 3884 · 94th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Sep 14, 1976 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ-10)

Cosponsors (5): Rep. Walter Flowers,

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.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

National Emergencies Act - =Title I: Terminating Existing Declared Emergencies= - States that all powers and authorities conferred by law upon the President, any other officer or employee of the Federal Government, or any department, agency, independent establishment, or any other body of the Federal Government, and all powers and authorities conferred by any Executive Order pursuant to law as a result of the existence of any national emergency in effect on the date of enactment of this Act are terminated two years from the date of such enactment. Defines such emergency as a general declaration of emergency made by the President.

=Title II: Declarations of Future National Emergencies= - States that, with respect to Acts of Congress authorizing the exercise of any special or extraordinary power during a national emergency, the President is authorized to declare such national emergency.

Provides that any national emergency declared by the President in accordance with this title shall terminate if (1) Congress terminates the emergency by concurrent resolution; or (2) the President issues a proclamation terminating the emergency.

Requires that, not later than six months after a national emergency is declared, and not later than the end of each six-month period thereafter during which such emergency continues, each House of Congress shall meet to consider a vote on a concurrent resolution to determine whether that emergency shall be terminated.

=Title III: Exercise of Emergency Powers and Authorities= - States that when the President declares a national emergency, no powers made available by statute for use in the event of an emergency shall become operative unless and until the President specifies the specific provisions of law under which he proposes that he, or other officers will act.

=Title IV: Accountability and Reporting Requirements of the President= - Provides that when the President declares a national emergency, or Congress declares war, the President shall be responsible for maintaining a file, and an index thereof, of all significant orders issued by the President.

Directs the President to transmit to Congress within 90 days after the end of each six-month period after such declaration, a report on the total expenditures incurred by the United States Government during such six-month period which are directly attributable to the exercise of powers and authorities conferred by such declaration. Requires that, not later than 90 days after the termination of each such emergency or war, the President shall transmit a final report on all such expenditures.

=Title V: Repeal and Continuation of Certain Emergency Power and Other Statutes= - Repeals that provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act which stipulates that a native born or naturalized citizen of the United States shall lose his nationality for departing from or remaining outside of the jurisdiction of the United States in time of war or during a period declared by the President to be a period of national emergency for the purpose of evading or avoiding training and service in the military, air, or naval forces of the United States.

Repeals the requirement that leases on specified property under the control of a military department must permit the Secretary of that department to revoke the lease at any time.

Repeals specified regulations of consumer credit.

Repeals that provision of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933, as amended, prohibiting the Tennessee Valley Authority from selling products except ferrophosphorus for use outside of the United States.

Repeals that provision of the criminal code which makes it a crime to enter, remain in, leave, or commit any act in any military area contrary to restrictions applicable thereto which have been prescribed under the authority of an Executive Order of the President or designated military officer.

Repeals the designated provisions of law regarding the promotion of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service.

Repeals designated provisions of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 regarding price adjustments on the sale of surplus war-built vessels to United States citizens.

Exempts designated provisions of law from this Act.

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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.

  1. Sep 14, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public law 94-412.
  3. Sep 2, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. Sep 1, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Aug 31, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
  7. Aug 27, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
  8. Aug 26, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  9. Sep 5, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  10. Sep 4, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #494 (388-5).House roll call 494
  11. Apr 21, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  12. Feb 27, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  13. 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.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.