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United States · Law · HR

H.R. 5970 (95th)

Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act, 1978

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

4 April 1977

Last action

30 July 1977 · President

Status

Public Law 95-79.

Sponsors

Rep. Price, Melvin [D-IL-21], Rep. Wilson, Robert C. [R-CA-41]

Subjects

Defence

Source updated

6 June 2025

Defence

Summary

Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act - Title I: Procurement - Authorizes appropriations in specified amounts for fiscal year 1978 for the procurement of aircraft, missiles, naval vessels, tracked combat vehicles, torpedoes, and other weapons for the armed forces. Prohibits the use of funds authorized under this Act for the DDG-47 guided missile destroyer program for materials or components which are not suitable for use in a nuclear powered strike cruiser until the President has made certain determinations and has reported them to the Congress. Title II: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1978 for military research, development, testing and evaluation for the armed forces, the defense agencies, and the Director of Defense Research and Engineering. Sets forth the purposes for which the Director is required to use such funds. Prohibits the use of funds under this title for the Roland Missile System until the Secretary of the Army notifies the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives that certain conditions have been met. Prohibits the use of funds under this Act for the installation of a 120-millimeter gun on the XM-1 tank until certain conditions have been met. Directs the Secretary of the Army to study the feasibility of deploying the XM-1 tank with integral chemical, biological, and radiological warfare defense equipment and to report the results of such study to the Committees on Armed Services of the House and Senate. Prohibits the Secretary from obligating funds under this Act for the improvement of the M-139 gun as an interim weapon system for use on the Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle or for the integration of the Tube-launched Optical-tracked Wire-guided (TOW) weapon system on such vehicle until the production of such vehicle is initiated. Title III: Active Forces - Prescribes the authorized end strength for active duty personnel in the various components of the armed forces for fiscal year 1978. Title IV: Reserve Forces - Prescribes the average strength for the Selected Reserve components of each of the armed forces. Authorizes the Secretaries of each military department and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard to establish educational assistance programs for members of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of each of the armed forces. Stipulates that such assistance may equal 50 percent of the educational expenses incurred by a member at an accredited institution and that the maximum amount available shall not exceed $2,000. Establishes eligibility requirements for participation in such program. Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit periodic reports to Congress regarding the number of members receiving such educational assistance. Establishes reenlistment bonuses for members of the Selected Reserve components of each of the armed forces. Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit periodic reports to Congress regarding the number of individuals receiving such bonuses. Title V: Civilian Personnel - Prescribes the authorized end strength for civilian personnel within the Department of Defense. Requires the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress regarding the allocation of such personnel among the military departments and agencies of the Department including a rationale for each such allocation. Authorizes the Secretary to increase the number of civilian personnel prescribed under this Act if such action is necessary in the national interest. Stipulates that such increase shall not exceed one and one-half percent of the level authorized under this Act. Requires the Secretary to promptly notify Congress of any such increase. Title VI: Military Training Student Loads - Prescribes the authorized average military training student load for the various components of the armed forces for fiscal year 1978. Title VII: Civil Defense - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1978 to carry out the provisions of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 for programs of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. Title VIII: General Provisions - Directs the President, beginning with fiscal year 1979, to include in the budget a request for funds sufficient to meet the total operation and maintenance costs of the Department of Defense. Authorizes appropriations in such amounts as may be necessary to pay claims or equitable adjustments arising out of contracts for the construction of naval vessels. Prohibits the paying of such a claim or adjustment arising out of any contract over $5,000,000 unless the Secretary of Defense has certified to Congress that the claim or adjustment has been thoroughly examined. Makes the required length of service for female members of the armed forces the same as males. Removes the present requirement that the Secretaries of the Army and Air Force conduct annual inspections of the Army and Air Force National Guard. Extends the subsistence allowances for members of the Marine Corps officer candidate programs through fiscal year 1978. Extends the President's authority to furnish Israel with aircraft and related equipment through fiscal year 1979. Stipulates that no such transfer may be made unless funds have been previously appropriated for such transfer. Directs the Secretary of Defense to supply a full accounting to the Committees on Armed Services of the House and Senate of all experiments or tests of the Department during the previous year which involved the use of human subjects for the testing of chemical or biological agents. Requires the Secretary to inform such committees of any such experiments or studies at least 30 days before their initiation. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study of the criteria used in determining whether commercial or industrial type functions of any Department of Defense installation should be performed by Department personnel or by private contractors. Prohibits any further conversion of such work to private contractors before March 15, 1978.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 4 April 1977

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 4 April 1977

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 4 April 1977

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Armed Services.

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 7 April 1977

    Reported

    Reported to House from the Committee on Armed Services, H. Rept. 95-194.

    Source: Committee

  5. 7 April 1977

    Reported

    Reported to House from the Committee on Armed Services, H. Rept. 95-194.

    Source: Committee

  6. 21 April 1977

    Floor

    Measure called up by special rule in House.

    Source: Floor

  7. 22 April 1977

    Floor

    Measure considered in House.

    Source: Floor

  8. 25 April 1977

    Vote

    Measure passed House, amended, roll call #151 (347-43).

    Source: Floor

  9. 25 April 1977

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended, roll call #151 (347-43).

    Source: Floor

  10. 25 April 1977

    Floor

    Measure considered in House.

    Source: Floor

  11. 26 April 1977

    Introduced

    Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services.

    Source: IntroReferral

  12. 10 May 1977

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Armed Services with amendment, S. Rept. 95-129.

    Source: Committee

  13. 10 May 1977

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Armed Services with amendment, S. Rept. 95-129.

    Source: Committee

  14. 16 May 1977

    Floor

    Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  15. 17 May 1977

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  16. 17 May 1977

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference scheduled in Senate.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  17. 17 May 1977

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #144 (90-3).

    Source: Floor

  18. 23 May 1977

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference scheduled in House.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  19. 20 June 1977

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-446.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  20. 20 June 1977

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-446.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  21. 21 June 1977

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-282.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  22. 21 June 1977

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-282.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  23. 13 July 1977

    Vote

    House agreed to conference report, roll call #409 (350-40).

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  24. 13 July 1977

    Vote

    Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #409 (350-40).

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  25. 14 July 1977

    Passed

    Senate agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  26. 14 July 1977

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  27. 19 July 1977

    President

    Measure enrolled in Senate.

    Source: President

  28. 19 July 1977

    President

    Measure enrolled in House.

    Source: President

  29. 20 July 1977

    Floor

    Measure presented to President.

    Source: Floor

  30. 20 July 1977

    President

    Measure presented to President.

    Source: President

  31. 30 July 1977

    President

    Public Law 95-79.

    Source: President

  32. 30 July 1977

    Became law

    Signed by President.

    Source: BecameLaw

  33. 30 July 1977

    President

    Signed by President.

    Source: President

Votes

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

    Versions

    No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

    Documents

    3 official files

    Public Law (PDF)

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    • Public Law (PDF)

      Public Law · EN · 31 July 1977

      ViewDownloadOpen at official source

    • Conference report filed in House

      summary · EN · 20 June 1977

      Open at official source

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    • Introduced in House

      summary · EN · 4 April 1977

      Open at official source

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