Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1979
Public Law 95-335 · H.R. 12933 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 4, 1978 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. John McFall (D-CA-14)
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.
Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation Act - =Title I: Department of Transportation= - Appropriates specified sums for fiscal year 1979 for: (1) the Office of the Secretary of Transportation; (2) the Coast Guard; (3) the Federal Aviation Administration; (4) the Federal Highway Administration (including expenses of railroad-highway crossing demonstration projects and of the Alaska Highway); (5) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; (6) the Federal Railroad Administration (including funds for the Northeast Corridor improvement program); (7) the Urban Mass Transportation Administration; (8) the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation; and (9) the Research and Special Programs Directorate.
=Title II: Related Agencies= - Appropriates specified sums for fiscal year 1979 for: (1) the National Transportation Safety Board; (2) the Civil Aeronautics Board; (3) the Interstate Commerce Commission; (4) the Panama Canal Zone Government (including capital outlay) and the Panama Canal Company; (5) the Department of the Treasury for the acquisition of fund anticipation notes pursuant to the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976; (6) the United States Railway Association; and (7) the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
=Title III: General Provisions= - Sets forth limitations on the use of funds made available under this Act including a prohibition on the use of funds for any further construction of the Miami jetport or of any other air facility in Florida lying south of the Okeechobee Waterway and in the drainage basin contributing water to the Everglades National Park until it has been shown by an appropriate study made jointly by the Departments of the Interior and Transportation that such an airport will not have an adverse environmental effect on the ecology of the Everglades.
Provides funds for the replacement of the West Seattle Bridge in the State of Washington.
Prohibits the use of funds made available under this Act for the liquidation of contractual obligations under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to support mass transit facilities, equipment or operating expenses unless the applicant for such assistance has given satisfactory assurances to the Secretary of Transportation that the rates charged elderly and handicapped persons during nonpeak hours shall not exceed one-half of the rates applicable to others during peak hours.
Prohibits the use of funds for implementation or enforcement of any standard or regulation which requires any motor vehicle to be equipped with an occupant restraint system (other than a belt system).
Allows funds appropriated to be available for research and development activity relating to occupant restraint systems in motor vehicles.
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. 23 actions.
- Aug 4, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-335.
- Jul 25, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jul 24, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jul 20, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to certain Senate amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Jul 19, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments with amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Jun 29, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1329.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1329.
- Jun 26, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Jun 23, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #172 (55-15).Senate roll call 172
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jun 19, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
- Jun 13, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
- Jun 12, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #441 (347-25).House roll call 441
- Jun 1, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations 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.