United States. Panama Canal Commission

The Panama Canal Commission was established by an act of October 1, 1979. The Commission was responsible for managing, operating, maintaining, and improving the Panama Canal. On February 10, 1996, with the signing of Public Law 104-106 (110 Stat. 638), the Commission became a Government corporation. U.S. responsibility for the canal was terminated by stipulations of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, which transferred responsibility for the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama, effective December 31, 1999. On that date the Panama Canal Authority took over responsibility for the operation of the Canal. The Commission was terminated on October 1, 2004, by an act of September 30, 2004 (118 Stat. 1140).