An Act to establish the Canaveral National Seashore in the State of Florida, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-626 · H.R. 5773 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jan 3, 1975 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. William Chappell (D-FL-4)
Cosponsors (14): Rep. Louis Frey, Rep. James Haley,
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.
Establishes the Canaveral National Seashore in Florida, comprising 67,500 acres.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire lands, waters, and interests therein by donation, purchase, transfer, or exchange.
Requires the Secretary to cooperate with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to assure that land donated by NASA is not used so as to interfere with the space program.
Allows private landowners within the Seashore to retain rights of use and occupancy in their land for noncommercial residential purposes for 25 years.
Grants condemnation authority to the Secretary to acquire clear and marketable title to land within the Seashore.
Directs the Secretary to allow hunting, fishing, and trapping on lands and waters within the Seashore, except that he may designate zones where these activities are not allowed.
Requires that the principal visitor center in the Seashore be named the "Spessard L. Holland Visitor Center."
Creates the Canaveral National Seashore Advisory Council to consult with and advise the Secretary on matters pertaining to the Seashore.
States that those portions of the John F. Kennedy Space Center falling within the Seashore shall become a part of such Seashore.
Authorizes necessary appropriations, but not more than $7,941,000, for acquisition of lands.
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.
- Jan 3, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-626.
- Dec 24, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 17, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to the Senate amendment.
- Dec 12, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Dec 11, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Dec 4, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Dec 3, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Nov 26, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 19, 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.