To require the Secretary of Commerce to convey to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts the National Marine Fisheries Service laboratory located on Emerson Avenue in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Public Law 104-91 · H.R. 1358 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Jan 6, 1996 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Torkildsen (R-MA-6)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to convey the National Marine Fisheries Service laboratory located in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Creates a reversionary interest in the United States if the property is used for any purpose other than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries resource management program. Allows a memorandum of understanding under which the National Marine Fisheries Service may occupy existing laboratory space under specified circumstances.
Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act Amendments of 1994 to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to convey to the Secretary of Commerce a specified portion of the naval base at Charleston, South Carolina.
(Sec. 2) Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, subject to the availability of appropriations, to construct: (1) on land to be leased from the State of South Carolina and if the annual leasing costs do not exceed one dollar, a facility at Fort Johnson, South Carolina; and (2) a facility on Auke Cape near Juneau, Alaska, to provide consolidated office and laboratory space for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) personnel in Juneau if the property for the facility is transferred to NOAA from the U.S. Coast Guard or the City of Juneau.
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of Commerce, subject to the availability of appropriations, to clean up landfills, wastes, dumps, storage tanks, property, hazardous conditions, and contaminants (including petroleum products and derivatives), on lands NOAA and its predecessor agencies transferred, or is obligated to transfer, to local entities or residents on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, under the Fur Seal Act of 1966 or other law. Authorizes appropriations.
Title I - Makes continuing appropriations for FY 1996 (at a level that is no more than the current level, the level passed by the House of Representatives, or the level passed by the Senate, whichever is least) for: (1) all allowances paid under specified provisions of the Peace Corps Act; (2) all activities necessary to process single-family mortgage loans and refinancing for low-income and moderate-income families funded under the Federal Housing Administration's "FHA-mutual mortgage insurance program account" and the "FHA-general and special risk program account;" (3) all projects and activities directly related to the security of U.S. diplomatic posts and facilities abroad; (4) activities funded under the account heading "Emergency food and shelter program" in the Federal Emergency Management Agency; (5) all retirement pay and medical benefits for Public Health Service Commissioned Officers, for payments under the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan and Survivor Benefit Plan, for medical care of dependents and retired personnel under the Dependent's Medical Care Act, and for payments under specified provisions of the Social Security Act relating to benefits concerning members of the uniformed services; (6) all projects and activities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement, Federal Prison System, United States Attorneys, United States Marshals Service, Federal Prisoner Detention, Fees and Expenses of Witnesses, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, necessary for the investigation and prosecution of criminal and civil offenses, national security, the apprehension, detention, and removal of illegal and criminal aliens, the incarceration, detention, and movement of Federal prisoners and detainees, and the protection of the Federal judiciary; (7) all projects and activities of the judiciary; (8) all projects and activities necessary to provide for the expenses of State surveys and certifications under the account heading "Program Management' under the Health Care Financing Administration; (9) trade adjustment assistance benefits and North American Free Trade Act benefits funded under the account heading "Federal Unemployment Benefits and Allowances" under the Employment and Training Administration; (10) payments to the Federal Hospital Insurance and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds under the account heading "Payments to Health Care Trust Funds" under the Health Care Financing Administration; (11) all projects and activities necessary to provide for the expenses of Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) contractors under the account heading "Program Management" under the Health Care Financing Administration; (12) all projects and activities funded under the account heading "Grants to States for Medicaid" under the Health Care Financing Administration; (13) all projects and activities of the National Institutes of Health; (14) all projects and activities necessary to carry out the section 7(a) General Business Loan Guaranty Program and the section 504 Certified Development Company Program under the Small Business Administration; (15) all projects and activities funded under the account heading "Surety Bond Guarantees Revolving Fund" under the Small Business Administration; (16) all projects and activities necessary to accommodate visitors and to provide for visitors services on the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management; (17) all projects and activities funded under the account heading "Disease Control, Research, and Training" under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (18) all Self- Determination and Self-Governance projects and activities of tribes or tribal organizations authorized by a specified public law under the account heading "Operation of Indian Programs" under the Bureau of Indian Affairs or under the account heading "Indian Health Services" under the Indian Health Service; (19) all projects and activities necessary to provide for the expenses of the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf under the account heading "Gallaudet University" in the Department of Education; (20) payments for benefits and interest on advances, with operating and administrative expenses, under the account heading "Black Lung Disability Trust Fund" under the Employment Standards Administration; and (21) payments for benefits, with operating and administrative expenses, under the account heading "Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners" in the Social Security Administration.
(Sec. 106) Makes appropriations in this title available, unless otherwise provided for in this title or in the applicable appropriations Act, until the first of the following events: (1) enactment of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this title; (2) enactment of the applicable appropriations Act without any provision for such project or activity; or (3) September 30, 1996.
(Sec. 110) Declares that, for this title, the time covered by this title shall be considered to have begun on December 16, 1995.
Title II - Amends the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 1994 to extend until June 30, 1996, the deadline for certain actions. Revives, with the consent of Prescott, Arizona, a specified contract.
(Sec. 202) Amends the San Carlos Apache Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 1992 to extend until December 31, 1996, the deadline for certain actions. Makes contracts under specified provisions, with the consent of the non-Federal parties, effective on and after the enactment of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Oversight and Investigations 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.
- Jan 6, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-91.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jan 5, 1996Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment pursuant to H. Res. 338.
- FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 338 passed House.
- FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 338 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1358. Upon adoption of this resolution the House shall be considered to have taken from the Speaker's table the bill H.R. 1358, with the Senate amendment thereto, and to have concur…
- Dec 22, 1995FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3113 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Oct 31, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Oct 30, 1995FloorFloor · 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 · Mr. Torkildsen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 20, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 27, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 21, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Apr 3, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 29, 1995CommitteeCommittee · 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.