Wisconsin Wilderness Act of 1984
Public Law 98-321 · H.R. 3578 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jun 19, 1984 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI-7)
Cosponsors (8): Rep. Tom Petri, Rep. Jim Moody,
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.
Wisconsin Wilderness Act of 1984 - Designates certain lands within the Chequamegon National Forest and the Headwaters Wilderness in the Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Provides that the RARE II (second roadless area review and evaluation) final environmental statement (dated January 1979) with respect to national forest system lands in Wisconsin shall not be subject to judicial review. Releases national forest system lands in Wisconsin which were reviewed in the RARE II program from further review by the Department of Agriculture, pending the revision of initial national forest management plans. Releases lands in Wisconsin reviewed in the RARE II program and not designated as wilderness from management as wilderness areas. Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from conducting any further statewide roadless area review and evaluation of national forest system lands in Wisconsin without express congressional authorization. States that the provisions above shall also apply to national forest system roadless lands in Wisconsin which are less than 5,000 acres in size.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Agriculture Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Forests, Family Farms, and Energy Subcommittee- Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Production and Price Competitiveness 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. 23 actions.
- Jun 19, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-321.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jun 8, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 4, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- May 24, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Apr 26, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Mar 28, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Nov 30, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Production and Price Competitiveness Subcommittee of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Nov 16, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House by Yea-Nay Vote: 402 - 17 (Record Vote No: 518).House roll call 518
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Nov 15, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Agriculture Committee
- Nov 10, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 9, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 3, 1983CommitteeCommittee · 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
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 25, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 20, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Forests, Family Farms, and Energy Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee
- Jul 14, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · 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.