A bill to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to sell two obsolete vessels to Coast Line Company and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-260 · H.R. 4088 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jun 3, 1980 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Brian Donnelly (D-MA-11)
Cosponsors: None
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.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to sell, after due advertisement and upon competitive sealed bids, to the highest bidder, the five obsolete vessels Arcturus, Hyades, Pictor, Procyon, and Zelima for conversion and operation in the fisheries of the United States, and the two obsolete vessels, Private George Peters and Resolute, for the purpose of conversion and operation in the fisheries or domestic commerce of the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to allow obsolete vessels previously sold from the reserve fleet to be converted and operated in the fisheries of the United States.
Declares that: (1) such conversion work shall be performed in the United States; (2) such vessels shall be documented and operated under the laws of the United States; (3) if scrapped, such vessels shall be scrapped in the domestic market; and (4) such vessels shall be purchased only by United States citizens or by a domestically organized corporation whose shareholders comprise at least 75 percent United States citizenry.
Renames the vessel Seafreeze Atlantic the Arctic Trawler. Extends for two years the authority to allow such vessel to employ a certain percentage of foreign seamen.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Jun 3, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-260.
- May 23, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- May 22, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- May 20, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- May 15, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment with an amendment.
- Apr 2, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Mar 24, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #152 (332-0).House roll call 152
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- May 14, 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.