A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to release certain conditions contained in a patent concerning certain land conveyed by the United States to Eastern Washington University.
Public Law 97-435 · H.R. 6419 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 8, 1983 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Thomas Foley (D-WA-5)
Cosponsors: None
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to release conditions in a certain land patent conveyed to Eastern Washington University that prohibits: (1) the use of such land for other than recreational or educational purposes; or (2) the transfer of the land title. Conditions such release upon a documented agreement between the Secretary and the University that the University will dispose of the land only for the purpose of acquiring real property which is more suitable for educational or recreational purposes. Declares that title for the acquired real property will vest in the United States if the University: (1) uses it for other than educational or recreational purposes; (2) attempts to transfer its title; or (3) directly or indirectly prohibits or restricts its use by any individual because of his or her race, creed, color, sex, or national origin.
Requires the University to include the terms of its agreement with the Secretary in any document which transfers to the University property it acquires pursuant to the agreement.
Declares that the authority of the Secretary to release patent conditions shall expire five years after enactment of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: National Parks and Public Lands 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. 16 actions.
- Jan 8, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-435.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jan 3, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 19, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Dec 13, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Dec 7, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 17, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 16, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- Aug 10, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 4, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 29, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 21, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- May 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- May 19, 1982CommitteeCommittee · 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.