Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1981
Public Law 96-569 · S. 2726 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 22, 1980 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Sen. John Culver (D-IA)
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendmeny)
Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1981 - Authorizes appropriations to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for environmental research, development, and demonstration activities for fiscal year 1981. Specifies amounts authorized for programs concerning air quility, water quality, water supply, pesticides, solid waste, toxic substances, radiation, energy, program management and support, and interdisciplinary activities.
Authorizes the Administrator of the EPA to utilize such funds for appropriate scientific and professional review of research and development grant, contract, and cooperative agreement applications, when such use is in the public interest.
Prohibits the transfer of funds, above a specified amount, without prior written approval by the appropriate Congressional committees or the lapse of 30 legislative days after the transmittal to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate of a written report containing a full and complete statement concerning the nature and reason of the transfer.
Directs the Administrator to establish a separately identifiable long-term environmental research and development program to be funded by a percentage of funds appropriated under this Act.
Directs the Science Advisory Board to provide such scientific advice as may be requested by specified committees of the Congress (in addition to the EPA).
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
- Dec 22, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-569.
- Dec 12, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 11, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 9, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Dec 5, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- Dec 1, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 7099.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 22, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works 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.