An Act to authorize certain construction at military installations, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-431 · H.R. 14846 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Sep 30, 1976 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Richard Ichord (D-MO-8)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateRecorded vote: 82 yea, 2 nay82–2
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.
Military Construction Authorization Act - =Title I: Army= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to expend specified amounts to establish and develop military installations and facilities. Sets forth the amounts which may be expended for specified facilities. Authorizes the emergency construction of facilities made necessary by: (1) unforeseen security considerations; (2) new weapons developments; (3) new and unforeseen research and development; or (4) improved production schedules if the deferral of such construction for inclusion in the next Military Construction Authorization Act would be inconsistent with the interests of national security.
=Title II: Navy= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to establish or develop specified military installations and facilities. Sets forth the amounts which may be expended for each such facility. Authorizes the emergency construction of facilities made necessary by those conditions enumerated in title I of this Act.
=Title III: Air Force= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to establish or develop specified military installations and facilities and sets forth the amounts which may be expended for each such facility. Authorizes the Secretary to proceed with the emergency construction of facilities made necessary by those conditions set forth in title I of this Act.
=Title IV: Defense Agencies= - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to expend specified amounts to establish or develop military installations and facilities. Authorizes the Secretary to establish or develop additional facilities which he determines to be vital to the security of the United States.
=Title V: Military Family Housing= - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to construct or acquire sole interest in existing family housing units in specified numbers and locations. Stipulates that no family housing shall be commenced at any such locations until the Secretary has inquired into the availability of suitable private housing at such locations. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose.
=Title VI: General Provisions= - Authorizes appropriations in such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Sets forth limitations on the amounts which may be used for public work projects under the various titles of this Act. Grants the Secretary of the military department concerned the discretion to increase the amounts set forth in this Act for various installations up to a specified level. States that the total cost of all construction and acquisition in each title of this Act may not exceed the total amount that is authorized. Requires the Secretaries of the military departments to report annually to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a breakdown of the dollar value of construction contracts completed pursuant to the provisions of this Act.
Repeals prior authorization for military public works, with specified exceptions.
Sets forth unit cost limitations for building projects under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to permit increases in such cost limitations by such amounts as may be necessary to equip any projects with solar heating or solar cooling equipment.
Expresses the approval of Congress with respect to the establishment of a naval and maritime museum in the city of Charleston, South Carolina.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to convey the lands comprising the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, to the Airship Association for use as a permanent site for an airship museum.
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to transfer the South Charleston Naval Ordnance Plant to the city of South Charleston, West Virginia.
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to conduct studies regarding the reuse of military installations which are to be closed.
Prohibits the use of any funds authorized under this Act for the closure of any military installation, the reduction in the authorized level of civilian personnel at any military installation by more than 1,000 individuals or 50 percent of the authorized level, or the construction, conversion, or rehabilitation of any other military installation as a result of the relocation of civilian personnel arising from such closures or reductions in force unless: (1) the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the military department concerned, notifies Congress that the concerned installation is a candidate for reduction or closure; (2) such Secretary complies with the National Environmental Policy Act; (3) such Secretary submits his final decision and justification to the Armed Services Committees; and (4) 60 days elapse following his final report. Removes this prohibition where the President certifies to Congress that such reduction or closure is required because of national emergency, for the national security, or that it was publicly announced prior to January 1, 1976.
=Title VII: Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities Authorization Act= - Permits the Secretary of Defense to establish or develop additional facilities for the Guard and Reserve Forces.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 84 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
84 yea2 nay14 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(53)
- Sen. Dick ClarkD-IA
- Sen. Gaylord NelsonD-WI
- Sen. Mike MansfieldD-MT
- Sen. George McGovernD-SD
Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE- Sen. Floyd HaskellD-CO
- Sen. Lee MetcalfD-MT
- Sen. John CulverD-IA
- Sen. Gary HartD-CO
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA- Sen. William HathawayD-ME
- Sen. John DurkinD-NH
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Birch BayhD-IN
- Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
- Sen. Edmund MuskieD-ME
- Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Hubert HumphreyD-MN
- Sen. Stuart SymingtonD-MO
- Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
- Sen. Thomas McIntyreD-NH
- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
- Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV- Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
- Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
- Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
- Sen. Abraham RibicoffD-CT
- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
- Sen. John PastoreD-RI
- Sen. John GlennD-OH
- Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. Robert MorganD-NC
- Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
- Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
- Sen. Dick StoneD-FL
- Sen. Mike GravelD-AK
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. John SparkmanD-AL
- Sen. Gale McGeeD-WY
- Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
- Sen. Herman TalmadgeD-GA
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
- Sen. John McClellanD-AR
- Sen. James EastlandD-MS
- Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA
- Sen. James AllenD-AL
Republicans who voted yea(31)
- Sen. Clifford CaseR-NJ
- Sen. Edward BrookeR-MA
- Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
- Sen. Jacob JavitsR-NY
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. Hugh ScottR-PA
- Sen. James PearsonR-KS
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Hiram FongR-HI
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
- Sen. William RothR-DE
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Robert TaftR-OH
- Sen. William BrockR-TN
- Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Dewey BartlettR-OK
- Sen. Roman HruskaR-NE
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
- Sen. William ScottR-VA
- Sen. Clifford HansenR-WY
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. Carl CurtisR-NE
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Paul FanninR-AZ
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
- Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1212 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
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.
- Sep 30, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-431.
- Sep 20, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 16, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Sep 15, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #601 (82-2).Senate roll call 601
- Sep 13, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Aug 25, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Aug 24, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jul 27, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Jul 26, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services 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.