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A bill to create a national park at Natchez, Mississippi.

Public Law 100-479 · H.R. 4457 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 7, 1988 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Rep. Charles Dowdy (D-MS-4)

Cosponsors (2): Rep. James Hayes,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Establishes the Natchez National Historical Park in Mississippi. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land for such park by donations or exchange.

Requires the Secretary to transmit to the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources a study of historic properties in the city of Natchez. Directs the Secretary, following completion of such study, but not later than one year after enactment of this Act, to establish historic districts in the city of Natchez. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with owners of properties located within such historic districts.

Requires the Secretary, within three complete fiscal years after enactment of this Act, to submit to such congressional committees a general management plan for the park. Requires the Secretary to study the feasibility of extending the Natchez Trace within the city of Natchez, including acceptance of donations of rights-of-way. Requires the Secretary, within one year after enactment of this Act, to transmit such study to such congressional committees.

Establishes the Natchez National Historical Park Advisory Commission to consult with the Secretary on the management and development of the park.

Authorizes appropriations.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.

  1. Oct 7, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-479.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 30, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 27, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Sep 22, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  6. Sep 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  7. Aug 2, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  8. Jul 26, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  10. Jul 13, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  11. Jun 30, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  13. Jun 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  14. May 5, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  15. Apr 26, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  16. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.