An act to require a study of the desirability of mandatory age retirement for certain pilots, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-171 · H.R. 3948 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 29, 1979 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Claude Pepper (D-FL-14)
Cosponsors (53): Rep. Glenn Anderson, Rep. Chuck Grassley,
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.
Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, to conduct a study within one year to determine: (1) whether an age limitation for pilots is medically warranted; and (2) whether the rules governing the conduct and frequency of medical examinations for the medical certification of pilots are adequate to determine an individual's physical condition.
Prohibits any additional funds from being appropriated for such purpose for fiscal year 1980.
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. 13 actions.
- Dec 29, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 96-171.
- Dec 24, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 20, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 19, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Dec 18, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Dec 6, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Dec 5, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Sep 25, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- May 4, 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.