An Act to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for the procurement of vessels and aircraft and construction of shore and offshore establishments, to authorize appropriations for bridge alterations, to authorize for the Coast Guard and end-year strength for active duty personnel, to authorize for the Coast Guard average military student loads, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-54 · H.R. 5217 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jul 7, 1975 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Leonor Sullivan (D-MO-3)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. Philip Ruppe, Rep. Mario Biaggi,
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.
Authorizes appropriations to the Coast Guard for fiscal year 1976 and the transition period through September 1976 for procurement of vessels, procurement of aircraft, and construction of shore and offshore establishments.
Authorizes an end strength for active duty personnel and for military training student loads for such periods.
Authorizes, for such periods, funds for use of the Coast Guard for payment to bridge owners for the cost of alterations of railroad bridges and public highway bridges to permit free navigation of the navigable waters of the United States.
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. 13 actions.
- Jul 7, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-54.
- Jun 27, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 26, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Jun 17, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 1487.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 19, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Apr 28, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Mar 19, 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.