An act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain lands in the State of Arizona, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain interests in lands in the State of Arizona, to amend the Act as of March 14, 1978 (92 Stat. 154), and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-581 · S. 1985 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 23, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ)
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.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to specified lands in Coconino County, Arizona. Requires the Secretary to enter into agreements, before any conveyances are made, sufficient to assure that the party to such agreement will construct administrative improvements equal in value to the land and improvements to be conveyed. Allows parties to which conveyances are made to deposit cash in an amount not less than the fair market value of such conveyed land, to be expended by the Secretary for constructing such improvements. Declares that if the value of any land and improvements to be conveyed exceeds the value of administrative improvements, the party to which such land is to be conveyed shall pay the difference in value to the Secretary.
Directs the Secretary to offer to sell at the fair market value specified lands to the Flagstaff Medical Regional Center and to the city of Flagstaff, Arizona, under a special use permit in effect on the date of enactment of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to solicit public offers for the remaining lands and improvements, to accept those offers determined to be most advantageous to the Government and to reject those offers determined not to be in the public interest.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey without consideration to the owners of record any interest, including mineral rights, of the United States in specifed lands in Pima County, Arizona.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior for five additional years to make payments to reimburse the appropriate school districts for expenses incurred in providing educational benefits to pupils living at or near the Grand Canyon National Park on real property owned by the United States not subject to State or local taxation. local agencies. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose through fiscal year 1982.
Makes mining claims located in specified areas of Arizona prior to January 17, 1969 as effective as if such lands had always been open to the operation of the U.S. mining laws, subject to intervening rights of private parties.
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.
- Dec 23, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-581.
- Dec 12, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 11, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 9, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Nov 21, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 25, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 24, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 17, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 7, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources 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.