National Defense Shipyard Protection Act of 1984
Latest action. Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
(Measure passed House, amended) National Defense Shipyard Protection Act of 1984 - Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to allow a vessel operator to receive an operating differential subsidy for a vessel constructed in a foreign shipyard if the capitalized cost of such vessel is not more than the capitalized cost to that owner of a vessel constructed after January 1, 1984, in a U.S. shipyard that is eligible for an operating differential subsidy. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to use the charter construction program to construct ships in U.S. shipyards if shipbuilding construction subsidies do not provide such incentive. Requires the Secretary to set charges for the charter of such vessels dependent upon whether or not such vessels have foreign competition. Declares that such vessels may only operate on voyages: (1) in the foreign commerce of the United States; (2) in foreign-to-foreign commerce; (3) round-the-world; (4) from the Pacific coast to a port in Europe that includes intercoastal ports of the United States; or (5) from the Atlantic coast to a port in the Orient that includes intercoastal ports of the United States. Requires annual payments to the Secretary of interest and specified costs if such vessels operate in domestic commerce on any voyages. Establishes a shipbuilding incentive program. Declares a shipyard qualified to receive a shipyard incentive payment if it: (1) is capable of constructing simultaneously at least three seagoing vessels that meet the requirements of the Secretary; and (2) has been designated as a shipyard to which an incentive payment would be in the national interest in order to maintain a sufficient shipyard mobilization base. Sets forth procedures for determining vessel designs, the circumstances under which foreign components may be used on such vessels, and competitive bidding procedures for construction proposals. Authorizes the Secretary to pay 50 percent of the bid amount to a shipyard qualified to receive a shipyard incentive payment, and to make payment in full when the contract is signed. Provides financial incentives and penalties on the use of such payments. Declares that vessels constructed with such payments may only operate on voyages allowable to vessels constructed under the charter program. Establishes the shipyard incentive payment account in the Treasury. Authorizes appropriations for such account for FY 1985 for the charter construction program, the shipyard incentive program, and the vessel trade-in program. Provides that persons receiving money from a sale under the trade-in program must use such monies to construct vessels in the United States and contract for such construction within three months of payment. Provides that if the Secretary acquires under the trade-in program a vessel that was constructed with the aid of a construction differential subsidy, and the vessel to be constructed under such program will operate in domestic commerce, then the Secretary shall reduce the basis of the vessel being acquired by the amount of the subsidy.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Passed House amended" stage on September 5, 1984. 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 September 11, 1984: Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
- 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 98th Congress (1983-84), 623 of the 10,560 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 5.9 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?
Walter Jones (D-NC) introduced it on March 22, 1984, and 5 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 3 Democrats, 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 March 22, 1984, 15513 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 15340 days ago, on September 11, 1984.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 98th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1985 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