An Act to authorize the establishment of the Congaree Swamp National Monument in the State of South Carolina, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-545 · H.R. 11891 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 18, 1976 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Floyd Spence (R-SC-2)
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.
Establishes the Congaree Swamp National Monument in South Carolina. Limits the size of such monument to 5,200 acres. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to make minor boundary adjustments after notifying the appropriate committees of the Congress.
Authorizes the Secretary to acquire land and interests as necessary within the monument area.
Requires the Secretary to make a review within three years of any area within the monument to determine the suitability of any such area for designation as wilderness.
Prohibits the Secretary from expending more than $35,500,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisition or more than $500,000 for the development of essential facilities.
Requires the Secretary to prepare and transmit to the Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House and Senate a general management plan for the use and development of the monument. Directs the Secretary to consult with the Governor of South Carolina in the preparation of such plan.
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. 15 actions.
- Oct 18, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-545.
- Oct 6, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 5, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 29, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Sep 28, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 22, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 21, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, division vote (67-12).
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 16, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 16, 1976CommitteeCommittee · 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.