Transportation Systems Efficiency Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.
Transportation Systems Efficiency Act of 1979 - Title I: - Amends the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to stipulate that the authorization of funds for public mass transportation projects under such Act shall remain available for obligation for the three fiscal years after the fiscal year for which the authorization was made. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants for energy conservation projects on nontoll public roads to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate traffic flow on a Federal-aid system highway. Stipulates that the Federal share of such a project shall be 90 percent of its cost. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1981 through 1990 out of the Public Transportation Trust Fund (as established by title III of this Act) for projects under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 and for public mass transportation projects substituted for Interstate Highway System projects. Title II: - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to apportion funds for the repair of public roads which have incurred a substantial increase in use as a result of transportation activities to meet national energy requirements and which will continue to incur such use. Stipulates that the Federal share of such a project shall be 80 percent of its cost. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1980 through 1990 for such purpose out of the Highway Trust Fund and out of the Energy Trust Fund (as established by H.R. 3919 of the 96th Congress or its equivalent). Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to separate rail highway crossings where there is a substantial increase in the use of rail facilities in transporting coal to meet national energy requirements and where the continued use of such facilities will result in substantial delays of highway travel. Stipulates that the Federal share of such a project shall be 80 percent of its cost. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose for fiscal years 1980 through 1990 out of the Highway Trust Fund and the Energy Trust Fund. Title III: Public Transportation Trust Fund - Establishes within the Treasury of the United States the Public Transportation Trust Fund. Appropriates to such Fund 25 percent of the amounts received by the Treasury pursuant to the windfall profit tax on domestic crude oil. Stipulates that the proceeds of such Fund shall be used for making capital expenditures for public transportation projects or transportation systems projects under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 or under title 23 (Highways) of the United States Code.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on December 20, 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 December 20, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 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?
JAMES HOWARD (D-NJ) introduced it on December 20, 1979, and 33 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 22 Democrats, 11 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 December 20, 1979, 17066 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17066 days ago, on December 20, 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