Household Goods Shipper Protection Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Public Works and Transportation.
Household Goods Shipper Protection Act - Amends the Interstate Commerce Act directing the Interstate Commerce Commission, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, to issue regulations prohibiting a household goods carrier from engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the advertisement, offer, or provision of transportation of household goods. Authorizes the Interstate Commerce Commission to issue cease and desist orders against any person engaging in such practices. Establishes civil penalties for violations of this Act. Permits household good carriers and shippers to establish dispute settlement procedures by submitting an application for establishing such procedures to the Commission for approval. Permits the Commission to investigate the functioning of any such procedures and to revoke or suspend its approval for failure to meet the specified requirements. Sets forth the requirements for such procedures, including notifying the shipper before a contract becomes binding, no charges to the shipper for using such procedures, and the availability of independent parties to hear and resolve disputes. Sets forth the responsibilities of the dispute settler, including the notification of all parties to the dispute of any and all decisions reached, and their obligations under the decision. States that such decision shall not be legally binding on any party to the dispute. Makes the results of such decision admissible in a court proceeding at the discretion of the shipper. Sets forth the conditions under which a shipper may be awarded attorney's fees.
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 20, 1980. 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 20, 1980: Referred to House Committee on Public Works and Transportation.
- 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?
BOB ECKHARDT (D-TX) introduced it on February 20, 1980. No cosponsors are recorded.
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 20, 1980, 17051 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17051 days ago, on February 20, 1980.
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