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Recreation and Public Purposes Amendment Act of 1988

Public Law 100-648 · H.R. 4362 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 10, 1988 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ-2)

Cosponsors (17): Rep. Richard Lehman,

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.

Recreation and Public Purposes Amendment Act of 1988 - Allows the Secretary of the Interior to convey lands which may be used by the applicant for the disposal of solid wastes or hazardous substances subject to the following conditions: (1) the Secretary determines that no hazardous substance is present on such land; (2) the applicant furnishes evidence that a copy of the application and information concerning the proposed use of such land has been provided to the Environmental Protection Agency and certain other State and Federal agencies; (3) the applicant gives a warranty that use of such land will be consistent with applicable State and Federal laws and that the applicant will hold the United States harmless from any liability; and (4) the applicant demonstrates that the land meets applicable State and local requirements and needs for solid waste or hazardous substance disposal.

Provides that such lands shall revert to the United States unless the lands have been used for the purposes specified in the application or other authorized uses within five years after the date of conveyance.

Requires any party who has transferred ownership of any conveyed lands not used for such specified purposes to pay to the Secretary fair market value for such lands.

Provides that no lands covered by an issued patent shall revert to the United States if such lands have been used for the disposal of solid waste or hazardous substances.

Authorizes the Secretary, with respect to lands conveyed prior to enactment of this Act, to renounce the United States' reversionary interests in such lands upon finding that such lands have been used for the disposal of solid waste or hazardous substances.

Authorizes the Secretary, with respect to lands leased prior to enactment of this Act, to convey in fee such leased lands without any provision for reversion to the United States upon finding that such lands have been used for the disposal of solid waste or hazardous substances.

Prohibits the Secretary from making any conveyance of land or renunciation of reversionary interests under this Act until: (1) 60 days after regulations implementing this Act have been submitted to specified House and Senate committees; and (2) 30 days after notice of intention to make such conveyance or renunciation has been submitted to specified House and Senate committees, during the first three years after enactment of this Act.

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. Nov 10, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-648.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 3, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 21, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
  5. FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  6. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  7. Sep 30, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  8. Sep 23, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  9. Sep 22, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  10. Sep 20, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  11. Sep 16, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  12. Sep 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  13. Sep 8, 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 12, 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.