Congress · Laws

A bill to amend section 502(a) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936.

Public Law 96-210 · H.R. 5913 · 96th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Mar 17, 1980 · Transportation and Public Works

Sponsor: Rep. John Murphy (D-NY-17)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 324 yea, 36 nay324–36
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to extend the construction-differential subsidy for the construction of new vessels to be used in the foreign commerce of the United States.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 96th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 326 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

326 yea36 nay71 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(221)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Bennett StewartD-IL-1
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Edward StackD-FL-12
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Peter PeyserD-NY-23
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Geraldine FerraroD-NY-9
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Donald BaileyD-PA-21
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. William BonerD-TN-5
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD-1
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-11
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-9
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Eugene AtkinsonD-PA-25
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Richard ShelbyD-AL-7
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(105)

Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Charles DoughertyR-PA-4
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-19
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. William RoyerR-CA-11
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. Arlen ErdahlR-MN-1
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-13
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-37
Rep. Jon HinsonR-MS-4
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Gary LeeR-NY-33
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. William CarneyR-NY-1
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-18
Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-29
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-34
Rep. James JeffriesR-KS-2
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
Rep. Daniel CraneR-IL-22

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 711 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.

Mar 17, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-210.
Mar 7, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Mar 6, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Mar 5, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
Feb 12, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #46 (324-36).House roll call 46
Feb 11, 1980FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Jan 28, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
Nov 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.