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A bill to amend title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to permit the guarantee of obligations for financing fishing vessels in an amount not exceeding 87 1/2 percent of the actual or depreciated actual cost of each vessel.

Public Law 95-257 · H.R. 9169 · 95th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Apr 7, 1978 · Transportation and Public Works

Sponsor: Rep. Trent Lott (R-MS-5)

Cosponsors (14): Rep. Jack Edwards, Rep. David Emery,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 309 yea, 68 nay309–68
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.

Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to make Federal ship mortgage insurance available for obligations for fishing vessels which do not exceed 87 1/2 percent of the actual or depreciated cost of such vessels.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 310 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

310 yea68 nay54 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(217)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
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. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-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. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
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. George MillerD-CA-7
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. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
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. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
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. 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. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
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. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
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. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
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. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
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. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
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. John KrebsD-CA-17
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
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. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
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. John CavanaughD-NE-2
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
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. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
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. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
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. 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. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
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. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
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. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5

Republicans who voted yea(93)

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. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
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. Mark AndrewsR-ND
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. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Bruce CaputoR-NY-23
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. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
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. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
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. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. John CunninghamR-WA-7
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 712 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.

Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Commerce, Science, and Transportation 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. 13 actions.

Apr 7, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-257.
Mar 28, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Mar 23, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Mar 22, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
Mar 16, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Jan 24, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Jan 23, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #8 (309-68).House roll call 8
FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Oct 25, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
Sep 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · 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.

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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.