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Antarctic Protection Act of 1990

Public Law 101-594 · H.R. 3977 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 16, 1990 · Environmental Protection

Sponsor: Rep. Silvio Conte (R-MA-1)

Cosponsors (42): Rep. Walter Jones,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • 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.

Antarctic Protection Act of 1990 - Makes it unlawful (pending an agreement among the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties which is authorized by the Congress and includes a ban on Antarctic mineral resource activities) to engage in, finance, or provide assistance to any Antarctic mineral resource activity.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of State should enter into negotiations with the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to conclude an international agreement to: (1) conserve and protect Antarctica and its associated ecosystems; (2) prohibit or ban mineral resource activities by all parties to the Antarctic treaty; (3) grant Antarctica special protective status as a land of science for wilderness protection, international cooperation, and scientific research; (4) ensure that all scientific investigation relating to geological processes and structures is made available to the international scientific community; and (5) include other comprehensive measures for the protection of the Antarctic environment.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that any international agreement relating to Antarctica that is submitted to the Senate for ratification should be consistent with the purposes of this Act.

Deems violations of this Act to be violations of the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act.

Makes persons who violate this Act ineligible for: (1) U.S. mining claims; and (2) U.S. mining patents or leases or mineral or geothermal leases.

Authorizes appropriations.

Committees

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

  • Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred toSubcommittee: Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee
  • Natural Resources Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Insular and International Affairs Subcommittee
  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee; Oceanography 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 34 actions.

  1. Nov 16, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-594.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 9, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 26, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mrs. Unsoeld asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
  7. Oct 25, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  8. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3157 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  10. Oct 15, 1990FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  11. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  12. FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Shumway demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
  14. FloorFloor · Mr. Jones (NC) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  15. Oct 7, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
  16. Oct 6, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  17. Oct 5, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Insular and International Affairs Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  18. Sep 27, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
  19. Sep 26, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  21. Sep 10, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  22. Aug 1, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  23. Jul 19, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  25. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  26. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  27. Jun 26, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  28. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  29. Mar 7, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  30. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
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.