A bill to place certain submerged lands within the jurisdiction of the governments of Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-435 · H.R. 11559 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 5, 1974 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Ron de Lugo (D-VI)
Cosponsors (4): Rep. Antonio Won Pat, Rep. Phillip Burton,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Authorizes the conveyance by the United States of specified submerged lands to the governments of Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Somoa.
Provides that enumerated items shall be excluded from such transfer, including: (1) deposits of oil, gas and other minerals; (2) all lands acquired by the United States through eminent domain, purchase, exchange, or gift; and (3) all tracts of land containing structures or improvements constructed by the United States.
States that the President retains the right to establish, when necessary for national defense, naval defensive sea and airspace reservations around and over the islands of Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.
Conveys to the government of the Virgin Islands all right, title, and interest of the United States to property placed under control of the Virgin Islands which has not been reserved to the United States by the Secretary of the Interior within one hundred and twenty days after the enactment of this Act.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 5, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-435.
- Sep 26, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Sep 25, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Sep 18, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 16, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 19, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 18, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- Mar 12, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 26, 1973CommitteeCommittee · 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.