Maritime Bulk Trade Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Rules.
Maritime Bulk Trade Act of 1979 - Directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations, to immediately negotiate a Governing International Maritime Agreement with each nation whom the United States engaged in the trading of bulk commodities in 1979 where such trade equaled at least five percent of United States bulk trade in that year. Directs the Secretary to negotiate such agreements with any other nation at the request of that nation. Stipulates that each such agreement shall contain the following provisions: (1) each nation reserves to its national flag merchant marine the right to participate in their reciprocal bulk commodity trades to the extent of 40 percent of such trade; (2) nonnational flagships shall be limited to a maximum of 20 percent of such trade; (3) procedures shall be set forth to insure that the national flagships share equally in the trade reserved to such ships; (4) each nation may grant waivers to permit nonnational carriers to carry more than 20 percent of the bulk commodity trade for a period of ten years after the execution of an agreement provided that the national flagships are first offered the opportunity to transport the cargo; (5) each nation shall advise the other of any anticipated shortfall in its ability to transport the share reserved to its flagships; (6) the United States will provide technical assistance for the development and operation of the bulk cargo carrying sector of the trading partner's merchant marine; and (7) the United States shall make available to the trading partner's merchant marine the construction-differential subsidy program and the Federal ship mortgage insurance program for the construction of bulk cargo carrying ships in shipyards of the United States. Directs the Secretary of State to enter into such an agreement with any group of nations which indicate a desire to execute such an agreement on a regional basis. Sets forth procedures for Congressional oversight of such agreements. Makes it unlawful for any nonnational flagship to engage in the transportation of bulk commodities with a trading partner except as authorized by the Governing International Maritime Agreement. Directs the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Treasury to adopt procedures to insure that nonnational flagships do not transport bulk commodities in excess of that authorized by maritime agreements. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish an advisory committee composed of the United States maritime industry, representatives of bulk commodity importing and exporting industries and individuals designated by trading partners to advise and assist the Secretary in the implementation of this Act. Requires the Secretaries of State and of Commerce and the advisory committee established by this Act to report annually to Congress on their activities pursuant to this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on August 2, 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 August 2, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Rules.
- 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?
CORINNE BOGGS (D-LA) introduced it on August 2, 1979, and 1 member has since signed on as a cosponsor.
They are 1 Republican.
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 August 2, 1979, 17254 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17254 days ago, on August 2, 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