An act to permit the Secretary of the Interior to accept privately donated funds and to expend such funds on property on the National Register of Historic Places.
Public Law 96-244 · H.R. 126 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on May 19, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Charles Bennett (D-FL-3)
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.
(House agreed to certain Senate amendment)
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept money donated for the purposes of acquiring, restoring, preserving, or recovering data from any district, building, structure, site, or object listed on the National Register of Historic Places and owned by a State, any unit of local government, or any nonprofit entity.
Directs the Secretary in expending funds to give due consideration to the national significance of such project, its historical value, the imminence of its destruction or loss, and the intentions of the donor. Stipulates that such funds shall be available without regard to matching requirements. Permits the recipient of such funds to utilize them to match any grants from the Historic Preservation Fund.
Authorizes the transfer of unobligated funds previously donated to the Secretary for the purposes of the National Park Service, with the consent of the donor. Stipulates that such funds shall be used in accordance with this Act.
Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1983 for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
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.
- May 19, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-244.
- May 8, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- May 7, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- May 6, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment to certain Senate amendments.
- May 1, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to certain Senate amendments with amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to certain Senate amendment.
- Mar 19, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Mar 12, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 28, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 27, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Nov 7, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jan 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.