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A bill to ratify an exchange agreement concerning National Wildlife Refuge System lands located on Matagorda Island in Texas.

Public Law 98-66 · H.R. 1935 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 4, 1983 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Rep. William Patman (D-TX-14)

Cosponsors (3): Rep. James Wright,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • 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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Ratifies an exchange agreement providing for management of National Wildlife Refuge System lands and State park lands on Matagorda Island in Texas.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee
  • Environment and Public Works Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.

  1. Aug 4, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-66.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jul 26, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Jul 22, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Jul 11, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  6. Jun 23, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  7. May 19, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Economic Development Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  8. Apr 21, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  9. Apr 19, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  10. Apr 18, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  11. Apr 13, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  12. Apr 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  14. Mar 14, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  15. Mar 9, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  16. Mar 7, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  17. 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.