An act authorizing appropriations to carry out conservation programs on military reservations and public lands during fiscal years 1983, 1984, and 1985, and for other purposes.
Public Law 97-396 · H.R. 1952 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 31, 1982 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. John Breaux (D-LA-7)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Edwin Forsythe
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- 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.
(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)
Amends the Sikes Act to include among required provisions of cooperative plans for conservation programs on military reservations specific habitat improvement projects and related activities and adequate protection for species of fish, wildlife, and plants considered threatened or endangered. Provides that such cooperative plans shall not be deemed to be, or treated as, cooperative agreements to which the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 applies.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983 through 1985 to the Secretaries of Defense and Interior for conservation programs on military reservations, including the enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat and the development of public recreation and other facilities.
Authorizes the Secretaries of Defense and Interior to use their authority under other conservation or rehabilitation laws to carry out conservation programs on military reservations under such Act.
Includes among the required conservation and rehabilitation programs on public lands under such Act specific habitat improvement projects and related activities and adequate protection for species of plants (as well as of fish and wildlife) considered threatened or endangered.
Provides that cooperative agreements entered into by State agencies for such conservation programs on public lands shall not be deemed to be, or treated as, cooperative agreements to which the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 applies.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983 through 1985 to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior for conservation programs on public lands.
Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to: (1) use their authority under other conservation or rehabilitation laws to carry out such conservation programs on public lands; and (2) make purchases and contracts for property and services from, or provide assistance to, State agencies to implement conservation projects and programs on or for public lands under such Act without regard to specified advertising and competitive bidding requirements under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act. Limits such contract authority to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts.
Amends the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980 to delete the requirement that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study on alternative methods of funding State conservation plans for nongame fish and wildlife be funded out of funds available for the administration of such Act. Extends the deadline for completion of the study to December 31, 1984.
Amends the Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to undercover operations to detect and prosecute wildlife crimes, to: (1) direct the advance of funds which may be deposited in banks; (2) pay for information, rewards, or evidence concerning such crimes; and (3) establish or acquire proprietary corporations or business entities as part of an undercover operation and use the proceeds from such businesses to offset operational expenses. Requires that the proceeds left at the conclusion of each such operation be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
Makes technical and conforming amendment to the Coastal Barrier Resources Act.
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
Environment and Public Works Committee · Senate · markup by, 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.
- Dec 31, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-396.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 21, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 17, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments to House Amendments to Senate Amendments.
- Dec 16, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendment to the Senate amendment with amendments by Voice Vote.
- Sep 30, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendment 004 by Unanimous Consent.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments 001, 002, 003 by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 9, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- May 25, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- May 6, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Apr 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Feb 8, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Sep 23, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Sep 21, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- May 18, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 30, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 4, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Mar 10, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Feb 24, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Feb 19, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries 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.