Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1978
Public Law 95-574 · S. 3081 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 2, 1978 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. Howard Cannon (D-NV)
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.
Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act - Amends the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1979 for expenses of the Office of Safety, State safety programs, expenses of the Federal Railroad Administration, and for conducting safety research and development programs. Sets forth limitations on the use of such funds.
Amends the Hours of Service Act to prescribe maximum on-duty and minimum off-duty hours for signal system employees. Defines "designated terminal" under such Act.
Removes the authority of the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate rail accidents.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct an evaluation of the safety and efficiency of rail transportation from which rules, regulations, orders and standards relating to maximum size, weight, and length of railroad cars and trains issued by the Secretary shall be derived.
Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress within two years after the date of enactment of this Act the results of a study on the effect of the exclusive ownership and control of rights-of-way by railroads on the safety and efficiency of rail transportation.
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. 11 actions.
- Nov 2, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-574.
- Oct 25, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 15, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 14, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Oct 13, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 12577.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 25, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.