International Coffee Agreement Act of 1979
Public Law 96-599 · H.R. 3637 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 24, 1980 · Foreign Trade and International Finance
Sponsor: Rep. Charles Vanik (D-OH-22)
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.
International Coffee Agreement Act of 1980 - Authorizes the President to implement the International Coffee Agreement 1976 by: (1) regulating the entry of coffee; (2) requiring coffee exports or reexports to be accompanied by a valid certificate of origin; and (3) requiring the keeping of records concerning coffee imports and consumption.
Directs the President to request the International Coffee Council or the Executive Board to suspend coffee export quotas and take other appropriate action if it is determined that there has been an unwarranted increase in coffee prices due to the Agreement or market manipulation by two or more members of the International Coffee Organization. Requires the President to submit recommendations to Congress if the Council fails to take corrective action. Suspends the President's authority to implement the Agreement if members involved in market manipulation have failed to remedy the situation within a reasonable time. Requires the President to report annually to Congress concerning the Agreement.
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. 14 actions.
- Dec 24, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-599.
- Dec 16, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 15, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Dec 4, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Finance Committee
- Dec 3, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Finance Committee
- Dec 2, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
- Apr 10, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means 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.