An Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1978 to carry out the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
Public Law 95-136 · S. 1522 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 18, 1977 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Warren Magnuson (D-WA)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Robert Packwood
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendments with amendments)
Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to: (1) authorize appropriations for marine mammal research grants for fiscal year 1978; (2) increase the appropriations authorized for fiscal year 1977, and authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1978 to enable the Department of Commerce to carry out its functions under the Act; (3) authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1978 to enable the Department of the Interior to carry out its function under the Act, and (4) authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1978 for the operation of the Marine Mammal Commission.
Bans commercial whaling within 200 miles of the United States.
Forbids the issuance of a permit, by the Federal Government, which would approve construction or modification of certain port facilities in Washington to increase the volume of oil capable of being handled at such facilities.
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. 13 actions.
- Oct 18, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-136.
- Oct 6, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 5, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments to House amendments.
- Oct 4, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments with amendments.
- Sep 12, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 4740.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Jul 18, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.