An act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1981 and a supplemental appropriation for fiscal year 1980 for certain maritime programs of the Department of Commerce, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-459 · H.R. 6554 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 15, 1980 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. John Murphy (D-NY-17)
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 amendment with amendment)
Maritime Appropriation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1981 - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1981 for use by the Department of Commerce for: (1) the acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of vessels, the construction differential subsidy, and the cost of national defense features incident to the construction, reconstruction or reconditioning of ships; (2) the payment of obligations incurred for the operating-differential subsidy; (3) research and development activities; (4) maritime education and training expenses; and (5) operating expenses including reserve fleet expenses.
Authorizes additional appropriations for increases in salary, pay, retirement, or other employee benefits authorized by law, and for increased costs for public utilities, food service, and other expenses of the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.
Amends the Maritime Appropriation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1980 to increase the authorization of appropriations for payment of obligations incurred for operating-differential subsidy from $256,208,000 to $300,515,000.
Directs the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating to cause the vessel Fundy Pride, owned by the State of Maine, to be documented as a vessel of the United States.
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.
- Oct 15, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-459.
- Oct 6, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 2, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 30, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment.
- Jun 3, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 14, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Apr 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Apr 15, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #181 (320-50).House roll call 181
- Mar 21, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Feb 20, 1980CommitteeCommittee · 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.