Joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1977, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-473 · H.J.Res. 1105 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 11, 1976 · Economics and Public Finance
Sponsor: Rep. George Mahon (D-TX-19)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateRecorded vote: 70 yea, 0 nay70–0
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.
Makes continuing appropriations for the departments, agencies, and other organizational units of the U.S. Government for fiscal year 1977 for specified programs and activities.
Prohibits use of these funds to initiate or resume any project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during either fiscal year 1976 or the transition period ending September 30, 1976.
Authorizes the appropriation of $5,147,921 for payment of specified claims settled and determined by departments and agencies in accord with law and judgments rendered against the United States by the United States Court of Claims and United States district courts.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 72 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
72 yea0 nay28 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(45)
- Sen. James AbourezkD-SD
- Sen. William ProxmireD-WI
- Sen. Dick ClarkD-IA
- Sen. Gaylord NelsonD-WI
- 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. William HathawayD-ME
- Sen. John DurkinD-NH
- Sen. Rupert HartkeD-IN
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Birch BayhD-IN
- Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
- Sen. Edmund MuskieD-ME
- Sen. Frank ChurchD-ID
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Hubert HumphreyD-MN
- Sen. Stuart SymingtonD-MO
- Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Frank MossD-UT
- 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. Wendell FordD-KY
- Sen. John PastoreD-RI
- Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
- Sen. Robert MorganD-NC
- Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
- Sen. Dick StoneD-FL
- Sen. Mike GravelD-AK
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. John SparkmanD-AL
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
- Sen. John McClellanD-AR
- Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA
- Sen. James AllenD-AL
Republicans who voted yea(27)
- Sen. Clifford CaseR-NJ
- Sen. Edward BrookeR-MA
- Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
- Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
- Sen. Hugh ScottR-PA
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
- Sen. William RothR-DE
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
- Sen. Robert GriffinR-MI
- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Dewey BartlettR-OK
- Sen. Roman HruskaR-NE
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
- Sen. Clifford HansenR-WY
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. Carl CurtisR-NE
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Paul FanninR-AZ
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1301 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. 19 actions.
- Oct 11, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-473.
- Oct 6, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 5, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 1, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded in certain amendment, roll call #690 (70-0).Senate roll call 690
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House disagreed to certain Senate amendment.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to certain Senate amendments.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate receded in certain amendment, roll call #690 (70-0).Senate roll call 690
- Sep 30, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
- Sep 28, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
- Sep 27, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 23, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations Committee
- Sep 22, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Appropriations 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.