Shipping Act Amendments of 1979
Public Law 96-25 · S. 199 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jun 19, 1979 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. John Warner
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.
Shipping Act Amendments of 1979 - Amends the Shipping Act, 1916, to increase the fine for engaging in rebating and rate discrimination. Increases the fine for tariff violations.
Requires the chief executive officer of every common carrier by water in foreign commerce to file periodically a written certification, under oath, with the Federal Maritime Commission, attesting to a policy prohibiting illegal rebating and efforts made to enforce such policy. Authorizes the Commission to require such certification by any other person subject to this Act.
Empowers the Commission to institute adjudicatory investigations into possible violations of rebating prohibitions.
Increases the Commission's authority to include orders for the payment of money for specified shipping violations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · discharged from, referred to
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.
- Jun 19, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-25.
- Jun 7, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 5, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Jun 4, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 3055.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- May 30, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- May 23, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jan 23, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to 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.