Emergency Fuel Assistance Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Emergency Fuel Assistance Act of 1979 - Authorizes the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide funds to specified State agencies to provide assistance to low-income and elderly persons in the event of an energy emergency, which is defined as a shortage or unavailability of heating fuels to low-income households, or an increase of 20 percent or more in the price of a major fuel or utility service from the previous year, or as a period when a State or an area within a State is experiencing excessively cold weather. Limits eligibility to such assistance to households eligible for benefits under the Food Stamp Act of 1964. Directs the Director to contract with specified State agencies to administer and distribute such assistance upon receipt and approval by the Director of a State plan for such administration. Sets forth criteria for obtaining such approval. Authorizes reimbursement to a State for reasonable costs incurred in administering such program. Directs the Treasury of the United States to finance the printing of fuel assistance stamps or coupons and obligates the Treasury for payment at face value of such coupons redeemed in accordance with this Act. Requires the Director to issue regulations concerning the issuance, distribution, and redemption of such coupons. Imposes criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Authorizes the appropriation of $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1980, 1981, and 1982, to carry out this Act. Imposes criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Authorizes the appropriation of $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1980, 1981, and 1982, to carry out this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on June 13, 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 June 13, 1979: Referred to Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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?
JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE) introduced it on June 13, 1979. 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 June 13, 1979, 17256 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17256 days ago, on June 13, 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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers