Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1980
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1980 - Provides for U.S. representation on the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Authorizes the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, to accept or reject certain Commission recommendations. Gives the Secretary of Commerce general responsibility for carrying out the Halibut convention between the United States and Canada and this Act. Authorizes Federal agencies to cooperate with the Commission on scientific and other programs. Makes it unlawful to: (1) violate the Convention or this Act; (2) interfere with enforcement officials; (3) resist or interfere with arrests or detentions; (4) sell or purchase fish taken in violation of the Convention and this Act; or (5) fish for halibut without a valid permit. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties, including forfeiture of the fishing vessel and fish, for violations of such offenses. Provides for enforcement by the Secretary of Commerce and the department in which the Coast Guard is operating. Sets forth the enforcement authority of officers. Requires Canadian fishing vessels to obtain a valid permit to fish for halibut in the U.S. fishery conservation zone. Sets forth application procedures for such permits. Repeals the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1937 after enactment of 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 July 23, 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 July 23, 1980: 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?
THOMAS ASHLEY (D-OH) introduced it on July 23, 1980, and 2 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 1 Democrat, 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 July 23, 1980, 16850 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16850 days ago, on July 23, 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