A bill to authorize additional appropriations for the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978.
Public Law 108-439 · S. 1727 · 108th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 3, 2004 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Amends the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to increase funding levels for projects to preserve the structural safety of Bureau of Reclamation dams and related facilities. Increases the ceiling (from $750,000 to $1.25 million) on the amount that may be obligated for dam modifications prior to 30 calendar days from the date that the Secretary of the Interior has reported on the safety of the existing dam to Congress.
Directs the Secretary: (1) during the construction of a modification of a structure under such Act, to consider cost containment measures recommended by a project beneficiary that has elected to consult with the Bureau; (2) to provide to project beneficiaries periodic notice regarding the costs and status of the modification; (3) upon identifying a Bureau facility for modification, to provide to the project beneficiaries written notice describing the need for and the process for identifying and implementing the modification and summarizing administrative and legal requirements; (4) to provide project beneficiaries an opportunity to consult with the Bureau on the planning, design, and construction of the proposed modification and to develop and provide time frames for such consultation; (5) prior to submitting required reports, to consider any alternative submitted by a project beneficiary that has elected to consult with the Bureau; and (6) to provide to the project beneficiary a timely written response of proposed actions to address the recommendation. (Requires that the Secretary's response be included in the required reports.)
Authorizes the Secretary to waive one or more of the requirements of this Act upon determining that implementation of the requirement could have an adverse impact on dam safety or security.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water and Power 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.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 4893Related bill
To authorize additional appropriations for the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Dec 3, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-439.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 22, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 17, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1727.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Gibbons moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 17, 2004FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Sep 15, 2004FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 7, 2004CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 615.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-296.
- Jun 16, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Mar 25, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-539.
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Oct 14, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12543)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Offered, no vote recorded
S.Amdt. 2218SenateSen. Gordon SmithR-OR· offered Nov 25, 2003No vote recorded
Nov 25, 2003: Senate amendment submitted
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.