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Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge Act

Public Law 97-333 · H.R. 1486 · 97th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 15, 1982 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Rep. Don Bonker (D-WA-3)

Cosponsors (6): Rep. Norm Dicks,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • 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.

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Summary

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

Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge Act - Establishes the Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge in the State of Washington.

Sets forth requirements with respect to Federal acquisition of lands within the refuge. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land subject to a life use or, at the owner's option, to an extended use reservation for a term of years in the case of any person who is the owner of land as of January 1, 1982, that is within the refuge and contains a structure suitable for residential use. Permits owners of property within the refuge to offer to sell their property to the Secretary. Authorizes the Secretary to purchase such properties immediately and take immediate possession of them. Prohibits the Secretary from acquiring property within the refuge by eminent domain for two years after Congress has appropriated funds for acquisition of the refuge, except as may be necessary to control public access to concentrated nesting sites within the refuge.

Authorizes appropriations beginning in fiscal year 1983.

Requires the Secretary to transfer ownership, jurisdiction, and control over the Jones Island National Wildlife Refuge to the State of Washington for use as a public recreation area.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee
  • Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred to
  • Environment and Public Works Committee · Senate · markup by, re-referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee
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. 22 actions.

  1. Oct 15, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-333.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 5, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 30, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Jun 9, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  6. May 26, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  7. May 6, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  8. Apr 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  10. Feb 8, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  11. Feb 2, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Re-referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  13. Dec 15, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  15. Dec 14, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  16. Dec 9, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  17. Dec 7, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  19. Oct 15, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  20. Feb 20, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  21. Jan 29, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  22. 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.