A bill to establish the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.
Public Law 96-267 · H.R. 6727 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jun 9, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Jack Edwards (R-AL-1)
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.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior, within one year after the date of enactment of this Act, to designate a specified amount of land and water in Alabama for the establishment of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.
Directs the Secretary to acquire by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, lands, water, and interest therein, within the boundaries of the refuge.
Requires the Secretary to administer such lands in such a way so as to conserve an undisturbed beach-dune ecosystem which includes a diversity of fish and wildlife, and their habitat.
Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1985 for acquisition of the refuge.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · referred to, reported by
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. 13 actions.
- Jun 9, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-267.
- May 30, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- May 29, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- May 22, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- May 6, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- May 5, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Apr 22, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Mar 6, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries 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.