An Act to amend the acts of August 11, 1888, and March 2, 1919, pertaining to carrying out projects for improvements of rivers and harbors by contract or otherwise, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-269 · H.R. 7744 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Apr 26, 1978 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Rep. Harold Johnson (D-CA-1)
Cosponsors (4): Rep. William Harsha, Rep. Herbert Roberts,
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.
Requires the Secretary of the Army to have dredging and other river and harbor projects done by private contractors if private industry has the capacity to do such work at reasonable prices. Directs the gradual reduction of the Federal dredge fleet as private industry assumes this capability.
Sets forth factors to be considered when comparing the cost of such work by private industry and such work by the government.
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. 14 actions.
- Apr 26, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-269.
- Apr 14, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Apr 13, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Apr 5, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Mar 23, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Sep 29, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Sep 27, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 15, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Jun 13, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.