Congress · Laws

Emergency Natural Gas Act of 1977

Public Law 95-2 · S. 474 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Feb 2, 1977 · Energy

Sponsor: Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV)

Cosponsors (14): Sen. Adlai Stevenson, Sen. Jennings Randolph,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 336 yea, 82 nay336–82
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.

Emergency Natural Gas Act - Authorizes the President to declare natural gas emergencies where severe natural gas shortages threaten the supply of natural gas for high-priority uses in areas of the United States. Authorizes the President to order transfers of supplies of interstate natural gas from one pipeline to another, or order the construction and generation of additional facilities to alleviate natural gas shortages. Stipulates that no such delivery or transportation may continue after April 30, 1977.

Stipulates that such transfers as ordered by the President shall not subject the pipeline to regulation under the Natural Gas Act or other provisions of State or Federal law. Establishes procedures for enforcement orders and subpenas issued under this Act. Establishes criteria for compensation of pipelines for compliance with such orders.

Exempts activities pursuant to this Act from civil and criminal penalties under State and Federal antitrust laws.

Authorizes the President to require contracts for purchases of emergency supplies of natural gas before August 1, 1977. Stipulates that such transactions shall be exempt from Federal Power Commission regulation under the Natural Gas Act.

Imposes civil and criminal penalties for violations of orders issued under this Act.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 336 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

336 yea82 nay13 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(231)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
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. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
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. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-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. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
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. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. James TuckerD-AR-2
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. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Joseph AmmermanD-PA-23
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
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. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. David CornwellD-IN-8
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
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. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. Robert StumpD-AZ-3
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3

Republicans who voted yea(105)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
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. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Bruce CaputoR-NY-23
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. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
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. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
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. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 6 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 record shows no committee referral for this bill.

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. 18 actions.

Feb 2, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 95-2.
PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
PresidentPresident · 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.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #11 (336-82).House roll call 11
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #11 (336-82).House roll call 11
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-7.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-7.
Feb 1, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #9 (367-52).House roll call 9
FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Jan 31, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #21 (91-2).Senate roll call 21
Jan 28, 1977FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
Jan 26, 1977IntroducedIntroduced · 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.