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National Heritage Area Act

Public Law 117-339 · S. 1942 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Jan 5, 2023 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

Cosponsors (16): Sen. Roy Blunt,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 326 yea, 95 nay326–95
  • 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.

This act establishes a National Heritage Area System.

The Department of the Interior may provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of such areas.

The National Heritage Area System shall be composed of

• each National Heritage Area, National Heritage Corridor, National Heritage Canalway, Cultural Heritage Corridor, National Heritage Route, and National Heritage Partnership designated by Congress before or on enactment of this act; and

• each National Heritage Area designated by Congress after enactment of this act.

A National Heritage Area shall not be considered to be a unit of the National Park System nor subject to the authorities applicable to such units.

Interior may carry out or review a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of each proposed heritage area for designation as a National Heritage Area. Interior must review and certify whether the proposed area meets specified requirements, including that it has natural, historic, and cultural resources that represent distinctive aspects of the heritage of the United States.

An area shall be designated as a National Heritage Area only by an act of Congress.

Interior shall conduct studies to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating specified areas in Hawaii as the Kaena Point National Heritage Area and in Virginia and North Carolina as the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area.

The act also (1) establishes or extends specified National Heritage Areas, (2) redesignates the America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership in Iowa as the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, and (3) extends the deadline for the management plans for certain heritage areas.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 326 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

326 yea95 nay9 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(217)

Republicans who voted yea(109)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 987 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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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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Related bills

18 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 1154 · became Public Law 117-331Related bill

    Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act

  • H.R. 1316Related bill

    National Heritage Area Act of 2021

  • H.R. 2882Related bill

    Great Basin National Heritage Area and Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area Extension Act

  • H.R. 6035Related bill

    Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act

  • H.R. 6200Related bill

    Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area Act of 2021

  • H.R. 6731Related bill

    To amend the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 to extend the authorization of financial assistance with respect to the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area.

  • H.R. 7218Related bill

    Colorado National Heritage Areas Reauthorization Act

  • H.Res. 1529Procedurally-related

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 9640) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for examination and disclosure with respect to Presidential income tax returns; providing for consideration of th…

  • S. 470Related bill

    Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act

  • S. 972Related bill

    A bill to reauthorize the Essex National Heritage Area, and for other purposes.

  • S. 1004Related bill

    Great Basin National Heritage Area and Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area Extension Act

  • S. 1224Related bill

    Protecting the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area Act

  • S. 1329Related bill

    National Aviation Heritage Area Reauthorization Act

  • S. 3313Related bill

    A bill to amend the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 to extend the authorization of financial assistance with respect to the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.

  • S. 3348Related bill

    Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Act of 2021

  • S. 3728Related bill

    Colorado National Heritage Areas Reauthorization Act

  • S. 3853Related bill

    Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act

  • S. 4093Related bill

    Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.

  1. Jan 5, 2023Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-339.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 28, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 22, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 326 - 95 (Roll no. 540).House roll call 540
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. FloorFloor · POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on S. 1942, the Chair put the question on passage and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Westerman demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on passage until a time to be anno…
  8. FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 1942.
  10. FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 9640 and S. 1942. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. Rule provides for one hour of debate on each measure. Also provides for a motion to recommit H.R. 9640 and a motion to commit S. 1942. H. Res. 693 and H. Res.…
  11. FloorFloor · Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1529.
  12. Dec 21, 2022FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 1529 passed House.
  13. FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1529 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 9640 and S. 1942. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. Rule provides for one hour of debate on each measure. Also provides for a motion to recommit H.R. 9…
  14. FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  15. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  16. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  17. Dec 20, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  18. FloorFloor · The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent. (CR S9618)
  19. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  20. Sep 21, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 499.
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-156.
  22. May 3, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  23. Oct 6, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  25. May 27, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  26. 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.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 6587SenateSen. Joe ManchinD-WV· offered Dec 20, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Dec 20, 2022: Amendment SA 6587 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.