An Act to amend the Act approved August 18, 1970, providing for improvement in the administration of the National Park System by the Secretary of the Interior and clarifying authorities applicable to the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-458 · S. 3430 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 7, 1976 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Clifford Hansen (R-WY)
Cosponsors: None
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 Secretary of the Interior to: (1) promulgate and enforce regulations concerning boating and other activities relating to waters located within the National Park System; and (2) provide such meals and lodging as it deems appropriate for members of the United States Park Police and other employees of the National Park Service serving temporarily on extended duty.
Authorizes the Secretary to pay the traveling expenses of dependents of deceased employees: (1) to the nearest available comparable housing in the case of an employee who occupied government housing which needs to be promptly vacated; or (2) to the nearest port of entry in the conterminous 48 States.
Allows the Secretary to relinquish to a State or to a Commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States part of Federal legislative jurisdiction over National Park System lands.
Directs the Secretary to submit any proposed relinquishment to the Interior and Insular Affairs Committees of the Congress.
Permits the uniform allowance for qualifying employees of the National Park System to be set at up to $400 annually.
Directs the Secretary to investigate, study and continuously monitor the welfare of those areas which may qualify for inclusion in the National Park System.
Reestablishes the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments as the National Park System Advisory Board. Requires the board to advise the Secretary on matters relating to the National Park System and on historic sites generally.
Revises provisions relating to law enforcement within the National Park System. Specifies the powers of the Department of Interior law enforcement personnel. Empowers the Secretary to designate officers and employees of other Federal agencies or of State or local law enforcement agencies to act as special policemen within the National Park System.
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. 12 actions.
- Oct 7, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-458.
- Sep 27, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Sep 23, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 22, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Sep 21, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 11887.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 17, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Aug 30, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- May 13, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.