A bill relating to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and for other purposes.
Public Law 99-583 · H.R. 4037 · 99th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 29, 1986 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN-1)
Cosponsors (15): Rep. Andrew Jacobs, Rep. Lee Hamilton,
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Revises the boundary of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Redefines the term "improved property" for Lakeshore purposes. Sets forth the retained rights of owners of improved property within the Lakeshore. Increases the authorization of appropriations for such Lakeshore.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to the Congress within two years of enactment on the feasibility of establishing U.S. Highway 12 as the Indiana Dunes Parkway.
Maintains the property rights of the Northern Indiana Public Service Company in specified lands within the Lakeshore.
Limits the authority of the Secretary to acquire interests in specified rights-of-way.
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission or others for the management of specified recreational facilities within the Lakeshore. Requires the Secretary to study and report to the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee within two years on options for linking portions of the Lakeshore divided by the Little Calumet River and Burns/Portage Waterway for administrative and recreational purposes.
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 Recreation Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation 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. 19 actions.
- Oct 29, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-583.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 23, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 17, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 19, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 12, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 11, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Aug 7, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 30, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 17, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by National Parks and Recreation Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Recreation Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 10, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Recreation Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 20, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Recreation Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jan 23, 1986CommitteeCommittee · 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.