A bill to extend certain authorities of the Secretary of the Interior with respect to water resources research and development and saline water conversion research and development programs, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-457 · S. 1640 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 15, 1980 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AK)
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment)
Amends the Water Research and Development Act of 1978 to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1981 and 1982 for: (1) water resources research and technology institutes and other qualified institutions; (2) water resources studies; (3) water research and development of saline waters; and (4) other water resources programs under such Act.
Removes the limitation on the number of desalting plants demonstrating the engineering and economic viability of membrane and phase-change desalting processes to be constructed by the Secretary of the Interior. Specifies conditions such plants must meet. Authorizes the Secretary to conduct such demonstrations by means of cooperative agreements with non-Federal public entities.
Requires reports to Congress concerning such plants to include information on how the proposed plant differs from others already constructed.
Revises the terms of proposed contracts or cooperative agreements between the Secretary and a non-Federal entity to require such entity to provide between 15 and 35 percent of the total cost of the demonstration (presently such entity must pay all costs). Limits the Secretary's participation in the operation and maintenance of such demonstrations to four years. Repeals the requirement that the proposed contracts provide for a future right of the Federal Government to re-enter the facility.
Increases the authorization of appropriations for such demonstration plants for the four year period of Federal participation in such costs, effective in fiscal year 1978.
Authorizes the Secretary, when appropriations have been made for the commencement or continuation of design, construction, or operation and maintenance of any demonstration plan, to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements for miscellaneous services, materials and supplies, and construction, which may cover such periods of time as the Secretary may consider necessary but in which the liability of the United States shall be contingent upon appropriations being made therefor.
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. 13 actions.
- Oct 15, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-457.
- Oct 6, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 2, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 30, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Sep 24, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- Sep 23, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 5340.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Jun 3, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 15, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Aug 2, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works 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.