An Act to extend the provisions of title XII of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, relating to war risk insurance, for an additional three years, ending September 7, 1978.
Public Law 94-523 · H.R. 1073 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 17, 1976 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Leonor Sullivan (D-MO-3)
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.
Provides that in determining whether to grant insurance or reinsurance to foreign-flag vessels, pursuant to the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, the Secretary of Commerce shall consider the characteristics, the employment, and the general management of the vessel by the owner or charterer. Requires that American and foreign-flag vessels so insured or reinsured be subject to such vessel location reporting requirements as the Secretary may establish by regulation.
Authorizes the Secretary to charge and collect an annual fee in an amount calculated to cover the expenses of processing applications for insurance, the employment of underwriting agents, and the appointment of experts.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · referred to, reported by
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.
- Oct 17, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-523.
- Oct 6, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 5, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 1, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Sep 28, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, provisions of S. 3181 inserted.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Sep 10, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Sep 9, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jul 29, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Jan 14, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries 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.