A bill to extend the present public debt limit through June 5, 1980.
Public Law 96-256 · H.R. 7471 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on May 30, 1980 · Economics and Public Finance
Sponsor: Rep. Albert Ullman (D-OR-2)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateRecorded vote: 47 yea, 10 nay47–10
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.
Extends the temporary increase of the public debt limit from May 31, 1980, to June 5, 1980.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 96th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 52 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
52 yea11 nay37 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(31)
- Sen. George McGovernD-SD
- Sen. Howard MetzenbaumD-OH
- Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV- Sen. Paul SarbanesD-MD
- Sen. Spark MatsunagaD-HI
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. George MitchellD-ME
- Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
- Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
- Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
- Sen. Abraham RibicoffD-CT
- Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
Sen. Carl LevinD-MI- Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
Sen. Max BaucusD-MT- Sen. John DurkinD-NH
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
- Sen. James SasserD-TN
- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
- Sen. John MelcherD-MT
- Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
- Sen. Robert MorganD-NC
- Sen. Mike GravelD-AK
- Sen. James ExonD-NE
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
- Sen. Edward ZorinskyD-NE
- Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA
Republicans who voted yea(21)
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
- Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
- Sen. John DanforthR-MO
- Sen. William CohenR-ME
- Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
- Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
Sen. John WarnerR-VA- Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
- Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
- Sen. Harrison SchmittR-NM
- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. Roger JepsenR-IA
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 667 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.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
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. 10 actions.
- May 30, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-256.
- PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, roll call #159 (47-10).Senate roll call 159
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- 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.