A joint resolution designating the Brigantine and Barnegat units of the National Wildlife Refuge System as the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
Public Law 98-293 · H.J.Res. 537 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 22, 1984 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Rep. John Breaux (D-LA-7)
Cosponsors (85): Rep. John Porter, Rep. William Ratchford,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 416 yea, 0 nay416–0
- 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.
Designates the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge and the Barnegat National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey collectively as the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
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 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. 9 actions.
- May 22, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-293.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 10, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 3, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.
- May 1, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House by Yea-Nay Vote: 416 - 0 (Record Vote No: 116).House roll call 116
- Apr 25, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 11, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 3, 1984CommitteeCommittee · 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.