A bill to amend title III of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended, to authorize appropriations for such title for fiscal years 1980 and 1981, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-332 · S. 1140 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 29, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Howard Cannon (D-NV)
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.
Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to redefine "State", for specified purposes of such Act, to include any of the several States or any territory or possession of the United States which has a popularly elected Governor.
Renders the designation of a marine sanctuary, or any terms included therein, by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to such Act ineffective upon: (1) certification to the Secretary by the Governor of any State in which such designation is made that such designation or any of its terms are unacceptable to such State; or (2) adoption of a concurrent resolution by both Houses of Congress disapproving such designation or any of its terms.
Sets forth terms to be included in such designations and authorizes the Secretary to issue regulations to implement such terms and control the activities permitted under such designation.
Directs the Secretary to conduct research to carry out the purposes of such Act.
Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to conduct enforcement activities to carry out the purposes of such Act.
Requires the Secretary to transmit to the Congress a marine sanctuary designation at the time of its publication.
Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1981 for making such designations, and for research and enforcement.
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. 11 actions.
- Aug 29, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-332.
- Aug 20, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Aug 18, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment.
- May 13, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 6616.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 22, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation 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.