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Salton Sea Reclamation Act of 1998

Public Law 105-372 · H.R. 3267 · 105th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 12, 1998 · Water Resources Development

Sponsor: Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52)

Cosponsors (36): Rep. Jerry Lewis,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • 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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Salton Sea Feasibility Study

Title II: Emergency Action to Improve Water Quality in the

Alamo River and New River

Salton Sea Reclamation Act of 1998 - Title I: Salton Sea Feasibility Study - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, by January 1, 2000, to complete all feasibility studies and cost analyses with respect to a feasibility study for the reclamation of the Salton Sea, located in Imperial and Riverside Counties, California, which shall include options for achieving salinity reduction and stabilization, stabilizing surface elevation, restoring fish and wildlife resources, and enhancing recreational use and economic development. Requires a report to specified congressional committees containing proposed options and recommendations. Directs the Secretary to carry out the study under a memorandum of understanding entered into by the Secretary, the Salton Sea Authority, and the Governor of California. Prohibits the inclusion of any option that relies on the importation of any new or additional water from the Colorado River. Preserves all current rights and obligations concerning Colorado River water use.

Directs the Secretary to conduct, concurrently with the feasibility study, studies of hydrology, wildlife pathology, and toxicology relating to wildlife resources of the Salton Sea by Federal and non-Federal sources. Directs the Secretary to establish the Salton Sea Research Management Committee to select and manage such studies. Authorizes appropriations.

Renames the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge as the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge.

Title II: Emergency Action to Improve Water Quality in the Alamo River and New River - Authorizes and directs the Secretary to promptly conduct research and construct river reclamation and wetlands projects to improve water quality in the Alamo and New Rivers in Imperial County, California, by treating water in those rivers and irrigation drainage water that flows into those rivers. Directs the Secretary to establish a long-term monitoring program to maximize the effectiveness of any wetlands developed under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.

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. 22 actions.

  1. Nov 12, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-372.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 2, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 21, 1998Resolving 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 amendments Agreed to without objection.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Solomon asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendments.
  7. Oct 13, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
  8. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3821 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
  9. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  10. Jul 15, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  11. FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 200 (Roll No. 282).House roll call 282
  12. FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 500 passed House.
  13. Jul 14, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  16. May 20, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  17. Mar 26, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  19. Mar 12, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  20. Mar 2, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  21. Feb 25, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  22. 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.