Maritime Appropriation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1978
Public Law 95-173 · S. 1019 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 12, 1977 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. Warren Magnuson (D-WA)
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.
Maritime Appropriation Authorization Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Commerce for fiscal year 1978 for: (1) vessel construction and rehabilitation; (2) the payment of obligations incurred for operating-differential subsidy; (3) research and development expenses; (4) reserve fleet expenses; (5) the Merchant Marine Academy; and (6) financial assistance to State marine schools.
Requires any liner company receiving operating subsidies to cooperate with the Federal Maritime Commission's investigation of illegal rebating, and to certify that they are not paying any illegal rebates. Makes such provision effective 240 days after enactment of this Act. Amends the Maritime Academy Act of 1958 to increase from $75,000 to $100,000 the annual maintenance and support payments to State Marine Schools.
Increases the subsistence allowance to students at the State Marine Schools from $600 to $1,200 per year.
Amends the Merchant Marine Act to require annual authorization of appropriations for extension and correspondence courses offered by the Maritime Administration and for other operations and training expenses.
Makes ferries operating in point-to-point transportation, weighing less than 75 gross tons, and which are capable of a sustained speed of not less than eight knots, eligible to receive loan guarantees of 87.5 percent, rather than the 75 percent currently provided.
Substitutes the Secretary of Commerce for the Federal Maritime Commission for purposes of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936.
Establishes in the Department of Commerce, in addition to the Assistant Secretaries provided by law as of the date of the enactment of this Act, one additional Assistant Secretary of Commerce who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
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. 21 actions.
- Nov 12, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-173.
- Nov 2, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Nov 1, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Oct 31, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to recommit to the Committee of Conference with instructions rejected in House, roll call #722 (166-231).House roll call 722
- Oct 26, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-747.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-747.
- Jul 21, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Jul 19, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Jul 13, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 4963.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 24, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 13, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Mar 17, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to 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.