A bill to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to charter the NS SAVANNAH to Patriots Point Development Authority, an agency of the State of South Carolina.
Public Law 96-331 · S. 1863 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 28, 1980 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Strom Thurmond
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.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to charter the nuclear ship Savannah to the Patriots Point Development Authority, an agency of the State of South Carolina, for a specified period as a museum ship.
Makes the Secretary of Commerce responsible for inspection and maintenance of the hull below the waterline. Makes the Development Authority responsible for all other maintenance.
Sets forth other conditions to be included in the charter.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting for the United States Government as owner of the vessel, and the Development Authority to apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license to process the nuclear utilization facility. Provides that the sole liability of the Secretary shall be the financial responsibility for the disposal of the reactor and other nuclear systems and radioactive contaminated components in the vessel.
Makes the Authority responsible for the monitoring and security of the reactor and all nuclear systems and radioactive components in the vessel and for filing all reports that may be required.
Authorizes the use of specified appropriated funds for preservation work on such ship.
Authorizes the expenditure of already appropriated funds to tow the Savannah to a site at Patriots Point at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
Authorizes appropriations beginning in fiscal year 1981 for hull inspection and maintenance purposes.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · 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. 12 actions.
- Aug 28, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-331.
- Aug 20, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Aug 19, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Aug 18, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Dec 19, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Dec 18, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Dec 11, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Oct 5, 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.