The Hepburn Act is a 1906 United States federal law that expanded the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and gave it the power to set maximum railroad rates. This led to the discontinuation of free passes to loyal shippers. [1]

The Hepburn Act of 1906 was a bill that fortified the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and strengthened federal regulation of railroads. Named for Rep. William Hepburn of Iowa, chairman of the House Commerce Commission, the Act passed after a series of unpopular rate increases by railroad corporations.

The Hepburn Act of 1906 conveyed those powers and created the federal government’s first true regulatory agency. Also in 1906, Roosevelt pressed Congress to pass the Pure Food and Drug and Meat Inspection acts, which created agencies to assure protection to consumers.

May 29, 2018 · Passed by the United States Congress in June 1906, the Hepburn Act gave the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), established in 1887, the authority to compel railroads to abide by the regulatory agency's standards and rulings.

Jul 22, 2019 · The Hepburn Rate Act was intended to give power to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate railroad shipping rates. The legislation was strongly endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt

Feb 1, 2025 · The meaning of HEPBURN ACT is created the first of the government's regulatory commissions. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was established in 1887 to oversee trade on the interstate railways but weakened by an 1897 Supreme Court decision.

Hepburn Act - An Act that significantly expanded the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which was originally formed in 1887 to supervise interstate railway commerce.

On May 21, 1906, the United States Congress passed the Hepburn Act, a significant piece of legislation aimed at enhancing the regulatory authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) over railroad rates and expanding federal oversight …