A bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to exempt States from the statute of limitations applicable to quiet title actions against the United States.
Public Law 99-598 · H.R. 2484 · 99th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 4, 1986 · Law
Sponsor: Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA-26)
Cosponsors (27): Rep. Hank Brown, Rep. Albert Bustamante,
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.
Amends the Federal judicial code to modify the application to States of the 12-year statute of limitations which applies to quiet title actions against the United States. Provides that no such action may be maintained during the time in which the disputed land is used or required for national defense purposes, if the State brings action more than 12 years after it should have known of the U.S. claims. Sets a 12-year statute of limitations for actions with respect to lands (other than tide or submerged lands) on which the United States or its lessee has made substantial improvements.
Provides that where a State is successful in an action involving tide or submerged lands on which such improvements were made, the State shall take title to the lands subject to any existing lease, easement, or right-of-way, even if the action was brought more than 12 years after the State learned of the Federal claims.
Requires any State to notify the applicable Federal agency at least 180 days before bringing any such action.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Administrative Law and Governmental Relations 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. 13 actions.
- Nov 4, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-598.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 23, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 17, 1986FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Sep 30, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Sep 29, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 25, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Aug 14, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 5, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- May 16, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative Law and Governmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- May 14, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary 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.