A bill to authorize the apportionment of funds for the Interstate System, to amend section 103(e)(4) of title 23, United States Code, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-144 · H.R. 5871 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 13, 1979 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. James Howard (D-NJ-3)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. Harold Johnson, Rep. William Harsha,
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.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to apportion for fiscal years 1981 and 1982 fiscal years the sums authorized to be appropriated for expenditure on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways using specified factors.
Limits the authority of the Secretary to withdraw approval of any route or portion thereof on the Interstate System to withdrawals made before September 30, 1979.
Makes available to the Secretary for projects in substitution a sum equal to the Federal share of the cost to complete a route withdrawn between June 20, 1979 and June 30, 1979.
Makes available to the Secretary for projects substituted for such withdrawn route a sum equal to the Federal share of the cost to complete a route withdrawn between June 20, 1979 and June 30, 1979.
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. 12 actions.
- Dec 13, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-144.
- Dec 4, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 3, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 29, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Nov 15, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Nov 14, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Nov 13, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.