Congress · Laws

Energy Research and Development Administration Authorization Act of 1977 and 1978—Military Applications

Public Law 95-183 · S. 1339 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 15, 1977 · Energy

Sponsor: Sen. John Stennis (D-MS)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 336 yea, 69 nay336–69
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Energy Research and Development Administration Authorization of 1977 and 1978 - Military Application - =Title I: National Security Programs= - =Fiscal Year 1977= - Authorizes the appropriation of funds already appropriated for national security programs in fiscal year 1977.

=Title II: National Security Programs= - =Fiscal Year 1978= - Authorizes appropriations to the Energy Research and Development Administration for fiscal year 1978 for: (1) weapons activities; (2) special materials production; (3) laser fusion; (4) naval reactor development; and (5) program management and support.

Lists amounts authorized for plant and capital equipment on a project-by-project basis. Amends prior authorization acts to increase the amount authorized for specific projects.

=Title III: General Provisions= - Prohibits the use of authorized funds in excess of the amounts authorized for a particular program which has not been requested of the Congress.

Stipulates that a project shall not be started if the current estimate of its cost exceeds by 25 percent the amount authorized.

Restricts the start of any general plant project which exceeds an estimated cost of $750,000 for the project or $300,000 for any building.

Provides that amounts appropriated pursuant to the Act for plant projects and for construction and design purposes may be available for use in connection with all national security programs within ERDA.

Authorizes ERDA to design any project subject to the total amount authorized for such activity.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 337 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

337 yea70 nay27 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(204)

Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Ozzie MyersD-PA-1
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Joseph LeFanteD-NJ-14
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Joseph AmmermanD-PA-23
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. David CornwellD-IN-8
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Robert GammageD-TX-22
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. Robert StumpD-AZ-3
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(133)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. John CunninghamR-WA-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-33
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26
Rep. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 671 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.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Armed Services Committee · Senate · 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

Nov 15, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-183.
Nov 4, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Nov 3, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · 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.
Nov 2, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #732 (336-69).House roll call 732
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #732 (336-69).House roll call 732
Oct 28, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-775.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-775.
Oct 12, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
Oct 6, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
Sep 29, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 6566.
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
May 23, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
May 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
Apr 21, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.