A bill to declare that the United States holds certain lands in trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California and to transfer certain other lands to the administration of the United States Forest Service.
Public Law 97-288 · H.R. 5081 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 6, 1982 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Rep. James Santini (D-NV)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
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.
Declares that the United States holds certain lands in Nevada, which are presently administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Declares such lands to be part of the Washoe Indian Reservation.
Specifies that this Act does not deprive any person or entity of any legal right or legal interest in such lands.
Requires that such lands be used primarily for agricultural purposes.
Directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs to transfer the administration of certain other lands in Nevada to the U.S. Forest Service within 180 days after enactment of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
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. 12 actions.
- Oct 6, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-288.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 28, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 23, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- Aug 19, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1858 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jul 19, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 21, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Over by House Without Prejudice.
- Jun 7, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Apr 21, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 9, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 20, 1981CommitteeCommittee · 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.