A bill to make certain technical and miscellaneous amendments to the provisions relating to vocational education contained in the Education Amendments of 1976.
Public Law 95-40 · H.R. 3437 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jun 3, 1977 · Labor and Employment
Sponsor: Rep. Carl Perkins (D-KY-7)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Albert Quie
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.
Amends the Vocational Education Act of 1963 to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs to pay a specified amount of the costs of vocational education programs administered for eligible Indian tribes.
Increases the authorization of appropriations for State advisory councils on vocational education and allocates such funds according to a formula contained in such Act.
Stipulates that the minimum expenditure requirements mandated for post secondary courses, the handicapped, and the disadvantaged apply only to the block grants made to a State.
Permits the use of Federal funds for local administration but limits such use to the same percentage of funds as the Federal funds bear to the total program funds of the locality, or to 50 percent of the cost of local administration if matched by State funds.
Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to pay State administrative costs from block grants made under such Act, and to pay 100 percent of the cost of State plans,reports, and administrations required by such Act.
Permits a State to contract with a private vocational school capable of making a significant contribution to the State program at a reduced cost to the State.
Limits the percentage of Federal funds, made available through basic grants, which can be used to pay the State administration expenses of any five year plan for vocational education program support or improvement.
Grants State research coordinating unit, the power to contract for exemplary or innovation programs and for curriculum development projects.
Delays the implementation dates for the national vocational education reporting system and the occupational information data system for one year.
Permits the National Advisory Council on Vocational Education to accept gifts. Delays for one year the submission of reports by the National Institute of Education.
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. 15 actions.
- Jun 3, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-40.
- May 23, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- May 18, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- May 16, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 12, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Apr 4, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Mar 22, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #89 (396-1).House roll call 89
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Mar 17, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Feb 9, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce 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.