A bill to amend the Great Lakes Pilotage Act of 1960 in order to relieve the restrictive qualification standards for U.S. registered pilots on the Great Lakes.
Public Law 95-455 · H.R. 12603 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 13, 1978 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Philip Ruppe (R-MI-11)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. Jack Kemp, Rep. James Oberstar,
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 Great Lakes Pilotage Act of 1960 to remove the requirement that a United States registered pilot hold an unlimited master's license.
Defines "Secretary" as the Secretary of Transportation in order to transfer the functions, powers, and duties formerly held by the Secretary of Commerce to the Secretary of Transportation.
Revises the license requirements and months of experience an applicant for registration needs to become a United States registered pilot. Permits the Secretary to require additional experience and training as he considers necessary.
Provides for civil penalties for violations of this Act. States that any vessel subject to the provisions of such Act shall be liable in rem for any such civil penalty and may be proceeded against in the appropriate U.S. district court.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Oct 13, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-455.
- Oct 4, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 28, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Sep 25, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Aug 25, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- May 8, 1978CommitteeCommittee · 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.