Panama Canal Modernization Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Panama Canal Modernization Act - Authorizes the Governor of the Canal Zone, under the supervision of the Secretary of the Army, to increase the capacity and improve the operations of the Panama Canal (Third Locks project). Permits the Governor to utilize the services and facilities of the Panama Canal Company to carry out this Act. Establishes a Panama Canal Advisory and Inspection Board to study and review all plans and designs for the Third Locks project and to inspect the construction of such project. Prohibits any construction to begin or modifications to be made without the prior approval of the Board. Requires the Board to report annually to the President and Congress. Stipulates that this Act: (1) will not take effect until Congress is notified that the President will take no further actions for the surrender of the Canal Zone and Panama Canal to Panama; and (2) will remain effective only as long as U.S. rights, pursuant to the 1903, 1936, and 1955 treaties with Panama, remain unaltered. Provides for the repayment to the United States of funds expended under this Act through the toll rates.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on February 8, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on February 8, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
DANIEL FLOOD (D-PA) introduced it on February 8, 1979, and 3 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 1 Democrat, 2 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on February 8, 1979, 17381 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17381 days ago, on February 8, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers