An act to establish the Biscayne National Park, to improve the administration of the Fort Jefferson National Monument, to enlarge the Valley Forge National Historical Park, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-287 · H.R. 5926 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jun 28, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Dante Fascell (D-FL-15)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. William Lehman, Rep. Claude Pepper
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.
=Title I: Biscayne National Park= - Establishes the Biscayne National Park in the State of Florida. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire, within the boundary of the park, the lands, waters, and interests therein by donation, purchase, or exchange, except that property owned by the State of Florida or any political subdivision thereof may be acquired only by donation and subject to such restrictions and reservations as may be provided by Florida law. Transfers the lands, waters, and interests therein within such boundary which are owned by the United States and under the control of the Secretary to the administrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service to be managed for the purposes of the park.
Expresses the intent of Congress that the Secretary shall substantially complete the land acquisition program for the park within three complete fiscal years from the effective date of this Act.
Abolishes the Biscayne National Monument and makes all lands, waters, and interests therein acquired for such monument part of the Park.
Requires the Secretary, within three years after the date of enactment of this Act, to review the Park and report his recommendations as to suitability or nonsuitability of any area within the Park for designation as wilderness.
Requires the Secretary to submit to the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Senate Committees on Energy and Natural Resources, within two fiscal years from the effective date of this Act, a revised comprehensive general management plan for the park.
=Title II: Fort Jefferson National Monument= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept gifts of funds which may be donated for the purposes of rehabilitating and stabilizing the historic structures within the Fort Jefferson National Monument, Florida.
Requires the Secretary, in consultation with the Governor of the State of Florida, to develop and transmit to the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources a general management plan for the Monument.
Requires the Secretary, within three years after the date of enactment of this Act, to review the Monument and report to the President his recommendations as to the suitability or nonsuitability of any area within the Monument for designation as wilderness.
=Title III: Valley Forge National Historical Park= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical assistance to public and private nonprofit entities in qualifying for appropriate historical designation and for such grants, other financial assistance, and other forms of aid as are available under Federal, State or local law for the protection, rehabilitation, or preservation of properties in the vicinity of the Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania.
=Title IV: Authorizations= - Declares that authorizations of moneys to be appropriated under this Act shall be effective on October 1, 1980.
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. 14 actions.
- Jun 28, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-287.
- Jun 23, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jun 18, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Jun 17, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Jun 5, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Apr 24, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Dec 12, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Dec 10, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Dec 7, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 16, 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.