A bill to reauthorize the National Ocean Pollution Planning Act of 1978 for fiscal years 1989 and 1990, and for other purposes.
Public Law 100-636 · H.R. 4211 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 8, 1988 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Rep. Michael Lowry (D-WA-7)
Cosponsors (6): Rep. Walter Jones, Rep. Gerry Studds,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 412 yea, 5 nay412–5
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #403 (398-21))
Amends the National Ocean Pollution Planning Act of 1978 to: (1) establish an Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Department of Commerce; and (2) eliminate the position of Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Substitutes the Under Secretary for the Administrator for purposes of the Act.
Makes the Director of the National Ocean Pollution Program Office responsible for the administration of the National Ocean Pollution Program.
Requires the National Ocean Pollution Policy Board to report simultaneously to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congress on all department and agency budget requests relating to the comprehensive Federal plan on ocean pollution. (Currently such report does not need to be submitted simultaneously to OMB and the Congress.)
Extends through FY 1990 the authorization of appropriations to carry out the purposes of the National Ocean Pollution Planning Act of 1978.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Oceanography Subcommittee- Science, Space, and Technology Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Environment Subcommittee
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Nov 8, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-636.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 27, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 19, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Oct 4, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 412 - 5 (Record Vote No: 403).House roll call 403
- May 26, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Mar 24, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Environment Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Mar 23, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Mar 21, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.