A bill to revise the boundary of Voyageurs National Park in the State of Minnesota, and for other purposes.
Public Law 97-405 · S. 625 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 3, 1983 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. David Durenberger (R-MN)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Rudy Boschwitz
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 amendment with an amendment)
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to revise the boundary of the Voyageurs National Park in the State of Minnesota. Prohibits the Secretary from deleting lands at Black Bay and conveying them to Minnesota unless Minnesota makes the tender of conveyance of certain State- owned lands to the United States and agrees: (1) to establish a wildlife management area in the Black Bay area to be conveyed; (2) to manage the waters of, and State lands ripiarian to, Black Bay in order to preserve the natural character of the area; (3) not to transfer any right, title, or interest in such area to anyone other than the Secretary; and (4) to permit the Secretary access to such area. Provides for the reversion of Minnesota's interests in such lands to the United States if Minnesota fails to comply with such agreement.
Requires the President to make recommendations to Congress by June 1, 1983, with respect to the suitability of any area in the park as wilderness.
Increases the authorization of appropriations for land acquisition for the park.
Directs the Secretary to establish a plan for visitor use and overnight visitor facilities for the park. Authorizes appropriations for the development of the plan.
Requires the Secretary to study, and make recommendations to specified congressional committees concerning, existing road access to the park. Authorizes appropriations for such study.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation 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. 21 actions.
- Jan 3, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-405.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 22, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 17, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment to Senate amendment No. 1 to House amendment. By Voice Vote.
- Dec 14, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments 002, 003, to the House Amendment.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Concurred in Senate Amendment 001 to the House Amendment with an Amendment.
- Oct 1, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendment with an amendment (SU 1404) by Voice Vote.
- Sep 29, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 19, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 27, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 24, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 14, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 10, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- May 26, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- May 13, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Oct 29, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 5, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation Subcommittee of the 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.