To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 to establish a deadline for the transfer of jurisdiction of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation area from the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of the Interior, and for other purposes.
Public Law 101-561 · H.R. 5667 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 15, 1990 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-4)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Hal Rogers
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.
Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 to transfer responsibility for all planning, acquisition, development, and administrative jurisdiction over all Federal lands, water, interests, and improvements within the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Kentucky and Tennessee from the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of the Interior. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to complete all acquisition and development activities in progress on the date of transfer.
Modifies certain restrictions on motorized transportation in the gorge area.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to make improvements to the Charit Creek Lodge, its associated facilities, and any historic structures determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Federal Lands Subcommittee- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Water Resources and 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. 22 actions.
- Nov 15, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-561.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 6, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 26, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Oct 12, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Oct 10, 1990FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Lagomarsino demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Vento moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Oct 3, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Oct 1, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Sep 27, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 25, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 19, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure 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.