A bill to disclaim any right, title, or interest of the United States in certain lands in the State of California which form a part of the right-of-way granted by the United States to the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, to declare that those lands have been abandoned by the railroad, and for other purposes.
Public Law 100-693 · H.R. 4039 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 18, 1988 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA-9)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. George Miller
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Declares that the Southern Pacific Transportation Company has abandoned certain real property situated in Alameda County, California, forming a part of the right-of-way granted by the United States to the Central Pacific Railway Company. Retains all Federal right, title, and interest in such property for management by the Secretary of the Interior as a public recreational trail, and for other recreational purposes compatible with trail use. Exempts specified property embraced within a certain public highway from such Federal interest.
Reserves to the United States all oil, coal, or other minerals in such property, including prospecting, mining, and removal rights.
Restricts to public highway and related uses under California law that portion of the property embraced within a certain public highway. States that all rights and interests revert back to the United States if: (1) any portion of such property is used for purposes unauthorized by this Act; or (2) if an attempt is made to transfer ownership of such property to any party other than the State of California.
Mandates that lands within the Toiyabe National Forest (California) which have been used for purposes of the U.S. Marine Corps Mountain Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center be retained as part of such National Forest. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to continue to make such lands available to the Marine Corps for such training center.
Directs that such lands be open to public recreation and other uses consistent with the primary purpose of the Mountain Warfare Training Center.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: National Parks 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. 16 actions.
- Nov 18, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-693.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 10, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 21, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 23, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 22, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 20, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 9, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 7, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 17, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 29, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources 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.