S. 1942 · 117th Congress

National Heritage Area Act

Introduced on May 27, 2021 by Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). 16 cosponsors, 5 of them from another party. Became Public Law 117-339.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-339
Introduced
May 27, 2021
Cosponsors
16
5 from the other party
Policy area
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

Official title

A bill to standardize the designation of National Heritage Areas, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Congressional oversight
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Historic sites and heritage areas

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Jan 5, 2023). Public domain.

National Heritage Area Act

This act establishes a National Heritage Area System.

The Department of the Interior may provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of such areas.

The National Heritage Area System shall be composed of

  • each National Heritage Area, National Heritage Corridor, National Heritage Canalway, Cultural Heritage Corridor, National Heritage Route, and National Heritage Partnership designated by Congress before or on enactment of this act; and
  • each National Heritage Area designated by Congress after enactment of this act.

A National Heritage Area shall not be considered to be a unit of the National Park System nor subject to the authorities applicable to such units.

Interior may carry out or review a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of each proposed heritage area for designation as a National Heritage Area. Interior must review and certify whether the proposed area meets specified requirements, including that it has natural, historic, and cultural resources that represent distinctive aspects of the heritage of the United States.

An area shall be designated as a National Heritage Area only by an act of Congress.

Interior shall conduct studies to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating specified areas in Hawaii as the Kaena Point National Heritage Area and in Virginia and North Carolina as the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area.

The act also (1) establishes or extends specified National Heritage Areas, (2) redesignates the America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership in Iowa as the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, and (3) extends the deadline for the management plans for certain heritage areas.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Debbie StabenowD-MISponsor

Democrats · 10

Independents · 1

Republicans · 5

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Passage
    Dec 22, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 326–95

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. May 27, 2021Introduced in Senate
  2. May 27, 2021 · SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  3. Oct 6, 2021 · SenateCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.
  4. May 3, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  5. Sep 21, 2022Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-156.
  6. Sep 21, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-156.
  7. Sep 21, 2022 · SenatePlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 499.
  8. Dec 20, 2022 · SenateMeasure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9614-9618)
  9. Dec 20, 2022 · SenateThe committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent. (CR S9618)
  10. Dec 20, 2022Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  11. Dec 20, 2022 · SenatePassed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S9677-9681)
  12. Dec 21, 2022 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  13. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseReceived in the House.
  14. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseHeld at the desk.
  15. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1529 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 9640 and S. 1942. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. Rule provides for one hour of debate on each measure. Also provides for a motion to recommit H.R. 9640 and a motion to commit S. 1942. H. Res. 693 and H. Res. 1434 are adopted. Provides for the Majority Leader or a designee that the House suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV with respect to multile measures.
  16. Dec 21, 2022 · HouseRule H. Res. 1529 passed House.
  17. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1529. (consideration: CR H10002-10009)
  18. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseRule provides for consideration of H.R. 9640 and S. 1942. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. Rule provides for one hour of debate on each measure. Also provides for a motion to recommit H.R. 9640 and a motion to commit S. 1942. H. Res. 693 and H. Res. 1434 are adopted. Provides for the Majority Leader or a designee that the House suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV with respect to multile measures.
  19. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 1942.
  20. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  21. Dec 22, 2022 · HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on S. 1942, the Chair put the question on passage and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Westerman demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on passage until a time to be announced.
  22. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H10030-10031)
  23. Dec 22, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 326 - 95 (Roll no. 540).House · Roll call 540
  24. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 326 - 95 (Roll no. 540). (text: CR H10002-10006)House · Roll call 540
  25. Dec 22, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  26. Dec 28, 2022Presented to President.
  27. Dec 28, 2022 · HousePresented to President.
  28. Jan 5, 2023Signed by President.
  29. Jan 5, 2023Signed by President.
  30. Jan 5, 2023Became Public Law No: 117-339.
  31. Jan 5, 2023Became Public Law No: 117-339.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.