An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain certain facilities at Hoover Dam, and for other purposes.
Public Law 98-381 · S. 268 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 17, 1984 · Energy
Sponsor: Sen. James McClure (R-ID)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Mark Hatfield, Sen. John Melcher,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateRecorded vote: 64 yea, 34 nay64–34
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.
Hoover Powerplant Act of 1984 - Title I - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to increase the capacity of existing generating equipment at Hoover Powerplant (the uprating program) and to improve parking, visitor facilities, roads, and other facilities which will contribute to the safety and sufficiency of visitor access to Hoover Dam and Powerplant (the visitor facilities program).
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to construct a Colorado River bridge crossing immediately downstream from Hoover Dam in order to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce safety hazards.
Amends the Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968 to provide that non-Federal funds advanced for the Central Arizona Project and the Orme Dam and Reservoir project shall be credited to the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund and shall be available without further appropriation for such projects.
Provides that the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund shall include all revenues collected in connection with the operation of facilities with respect to the Central Arizona Project and with respect to the Orme Dam and Reservoir until completion of repayment requirements of the Central Arizona Project. (Under current law, such fund shall include all such revenues including revenues which are determined to be surplus after the completion of the Central Arizona Project.)
Requires the Secretary of Energy to provide for surplus revenues for the Boulder Canyon Project and for the Parker-Davis Project by increasing the rates charged to purchasers of electricity in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Provides that after the repayment period for the Central Arizona Project, the rates charged to such purchasers shall include an additional charge to provide revenues for repayment of costs in connection with the operation of Hoover Dam, certain salinity control units for the Colorado River, and certain water supply augmentation units for the Colorado River.
Amends the Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928 to eliminate the ceiling on the aggregate amount of advances which the Secretary of the Treasury may make to the Colorado River Dam fund to carry out such Act. Increases the ceiling on the authorization of appropriations to carry out such Act. Permits the adjustment of the funds required for the uprating program and the visitor facilities program at Hoover Dam and Powerplant.
Amends the Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act of 1940 to make open-ended the period of time for which the Secretary of the Interior is directed to promulgate charges for electricity generated at Hoover Dam. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate charges for electricity generated at Hoover Dam to provide revenues for the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund.
Includes in the operation costs for the Boulder Canyon project which may be paid for out of the Colorado River Dam Fund the purchase of supplemental energy to meet temporary deficiencies in firm energy which the Secretary of Energy is obligated by contract to supply.
Provides that receipts from the Boulder Canyon Project which are placed in the Colorado River Dam Fund shall be available for transfer to the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund.
Sets forth the interest rates for advances made for the visitor facilities program at Hoover Dam and Powerplant.
Requires the Secretary of Energy to offer: (1) a renewal contract for specified amounts of energy to each contractor for power generated at Hoover Dam; (2) contracts for capacity and associated energy resulting from the uprating program at Hoover Dam in the amounts specified in the General Consolidated Power Marketing Criteria or Regulations for Boulder City Area projects to purchasers in Arizona, Nevada, and California who are eligible to enter into such contracts pursuant to the Boulder Canyon Project Act; and (3) contracts for such energy as is available respectively to Arizona, Nevada, and California under such Criteria to the Arizona Power Authority, the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, and purchasers in California who are eligible to enter into such contracts pursuant to the Boulder Canyon Project Act. Sets forth requirements and restrictions with respect to such contracts.
Provides that the uprating program shall be undertaken with funds advanced under contracts between the Secretary of the Interior and non-Federal purchasers of electricity from such program.
Sets forth conditions under which claims with respect to this Act, the Boulder Canyon Project Act, or the Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act may be brought.
Provides that reimbursement of funds appropriated for the construction of facilities at Hoover Dam and Powerplant under this title shall be a repayment requirement of the Boulder Canyon Project.
Requires that electrical capacity and energy associated with the United States' interest in the Navajo generating station which is in excess of the pumping requirements of the Central Arizona Project and any needs for desalting and protective pumping facilities be marketed and exchanged by the Secretary of Energy. Requires that the marketing and exchange plan for the Navajo surplus optimize the availability of such surplus and provide financial assistance in the timely construction and repayment of construction costs of authorized features of the Central Arizona Project. Authorizes the establishment of rate components which shall be deposited in the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund and made available to implement such plan.
Requires the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Western Area Power Administration, to report to specified congressional committees on all Colorado River storage project power resources which may be used to financially support the development of authorized projects in the States of the Upper Division of the Colorado River Basin.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to develop and maintain fish passage facilities within the Yakima River Basin and to accept funds from both public and private sources for such facilities.
Title II - Requires purchasers of power marketed by the Western Area Power Administration who have entered into long-term firm power service contracts to develop and implement energy conservation programs subject to approval by such Administration. Sets forth the requirements for such programs.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 64 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
64 yea34 nay2 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(24)
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA- Sen. John MelcherD-MT
- Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Spark MatsunagaD-HI
- Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
Sen. Jeff BingamanD-NM
Sen. Max BaucusD-MT- Sen. David PryorD-AR
- Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
- Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
- Sen. Dennis DeConciniD-AZ
- Sen. James ExonD-NE
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
- Sen. David BorenD-OK
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
- Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL
- Sen. Edward ZorinskyD-NE
Republicans who voted yea(40)
- Sen. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
- Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS
Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Daniel EvansR-WA
Sen. John WarnerR-VA- Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
- Sen. Roger JepsenR-IA
- Sen. Robert KastenR-WI
- Sen. Paul TribleR-VA
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. James AbdnorR-SD
- Sen. Mack MattinglyR-GA
- Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Pete WilsonR-CA
- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
- Sen. Jacob HechtR-NV
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. William ArmstrongR-CO
Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT- Sen. Jeremiah DentonR-AL
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
- Sen. John EastR-NC
- Sen. Steven SymmsR-ID
- Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 578 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water and Power 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.
- Aug 17, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-381.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 7, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 31, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-34. Record Vote No: 207.Senate roll call 207
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate concurred in the House amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-34. Record Vote No: 207.Senate roll call 207
- Jul 30, 1984FloorFloor · Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 60-28. Record Vote No: 202.Senate roll call 202
- FloorFloor · Motion to concur in House amendment to the bill considered in the Senate.
- Jul 27, 1984FloorFloor · Second cloture motion to the Baker motion to concur in the House amendment presented in Senate.
- Jul 26, 1984FloorFloor · Cloture motion on the Baker motion to concur in the House amendment presented in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill considered in Senate.
- May 3, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 25, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 4, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- May 20, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- May 13, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 24, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Jan 27, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to 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.