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An act to amend the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 to promote recreational boating safety through the development, administration, and financing of a national recreational boating safety improvement program, and for other purposes.

Public Law 96-451 · H.R. 4310 · 96th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 14, 1980 · Sports and Recreation

Sponsor: Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-NY-10)

Cosponsors (50): Rep. John Murphy,

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

=Title I: Recreational Boating Safety and Facilities Improvement= - Recreational Boating Safety and Facilities Improvement Act of 1980 - Amends the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 to include in the definitions of the terms "United States" and "State" the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any other territory or possession over which the United States has jurisdiction.

Directs the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating to implement and administer a national recreational boating safety and facilities improvement program.

Directs the Secretary to establish guidelines and standards for such program by: (1) considering factors affecting recreational boating safety; (2) consulting with the Secretary of the Interior to minimize duplication with the purposes, guidelines, and expenditures of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965; and (3) maintaining environmental standards consistent with the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and other Federal laws and policies safeguarding waters and wetlands.

Authorizes the Secretary to allocate and distribute funds to any State that has an accepted State recreational boating safety and facilities improvement program, if the State demonstrates that: (1) the program submitted by that State is consistent with the purposes of this Act; (2) funds distributed will be used to develop and administer a State recreational boating safety and facilities improvement program; (3) sufficient State matching funds are available; and (4) the program submitted by that State designates a State lead authority or agency, which would implement or coordinate the implementation of the State recreational boating safety and facilities improvement program.

Directs the Secretary to accept State recreational boating safety programs that include: (1) a vessel numbering system; (2) a cooperative boating safety assistance program with the Coast Guard; (3) sufficient patrol to enforce applicable State boating safety laws; and (4) an adequate State boating safety education program.

Directs the Secretary to accept State recreational boating facilities improvement programs that include: (1) a complete description of recreational boating facility improvement projects to be undertaken by the State; and (2) consultation with State officials responsible for the statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan required by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 and for any program developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

Permits any State, at its election, to submit a combined program to the Secretary for the improvement of recreational boat safety and the improvement of recreational boating facilities in that State.

Sets forth formulas for the allocation of funds among the States.

Authorizes appropriations from the National Recreational Boating Safety and Facilities Improvement Fund for such State programs for fiscal years 1981, 1982 and 1983.

=Title II: Establishment of Fund= - Recreational Boating Fund Act of 1980 - Establishes in the Treasury a National Recreational Boating Safety and Facilities Improvement Fund from which the Secretary may allocate funds for accepted State programs.

Amends the Highway Revenue Act of 1956 to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer certain amounts from the taxes received from special motor fuels and gasoline used in motorboats to such Fund.

Directs the Secretary to transfer excess funds into the land and water conservation fund provided for under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury (after consultation with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating) to conduct a study to determine the portion of motorboat fuel taxes attributable to fuel used in recreational motorboats and to report such findings to Congress within two years of the enactment of this Act.

=Title III: Reforestation= - Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to entitle a taxpayer, in the case of any qualified timber property, to a deduction with respect to the amortization of the portion of the basis of the qualified timber property attributable to reforestation expenditures based on a period of 84 months. Limits the aggregate amount of amortizable basis acquired during the taxable year which may be taken into account to not more than $10,000. Specifies that in the case of a partnership such dollar limitation shall apply with respect to the partnership and with respect to each partner.

Establishes in the Treasury a Reforestation Trust Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to such Fund an amount equal to the sum of tariffs received on specified wood products between September 30, 1979, and October 1, 1985. Limits the transfer of funds to not more than $30,000,000 for any fiscal year.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, to report to the Congress each year on the financial condition and the results of the operations of such Fund during the preceding fiscal year and on its expected condition and operations during the next fiscal year. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to invest such portion of the Fund as is not required to meet current withdrawals.

Specifies that any obligation acquired by the Fund (except special obligations issued exclusively to the Fund) may be sold by the Secretary at the market price, and such special obligations may be redeemed at par plus accrued interest.

Sets forth the formula for determining the amount to be appropriated, for each of the first five fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1980, to the Secretary of Agriculture out of any amounts in the Fund.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to pay into the general fund of the Treasury any amounts, including interest earned on such amounts, remaining in the Fund after September 30, 1985, which were not expended and remain in the Fund.

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.

  1. Oct 14, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-451.
  3. Oct 3, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. Oct 2, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Sep 25, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in Senate amendment.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
  8. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to strike certain provisions rejected in House.
  10. Sep 16, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1320.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1320.
  12. Sep 10, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
  14. Sep 9, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
  15. Aug 25, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
  16. FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
  17. Aug 22, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  18. Dec 4, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  19. Dec 3, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
  20. FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
  21. Nov 7, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  22. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
  23. Jun 5, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
  25. 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.