National Land Resources Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Public Works.
National Land Resources Act - Presents the finding of the Congress that topsoil is a valuable, unique and peculiar natural resource upon which future generations will be dependent. Declares that ownership of land carries with it a responsibility not to destroy the topsoil or so intermingle or bury it that it will not be easily and economically accessible for use at a later date. Establishes a National Land Resources Protection Commission to be composed of five members. Provides for the appointment of such Commission members by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provides for the administrative powers of the Commission. Directs the Commission to establish standards for all projects subject to this Act which will assure that a minimum of 12 inches of topsoil or such lesser amount of topsoil as may exist shall be stockpiled from those areas of each such project where the shape or contour of the land is changed. Provides that such stockpiled topsoil shall be used to form a top layer of uniform depth and a minimum of twelve inches deep on all areas of the completed project where soil will be exposed to natural elements. Provides that where sufficient subsoil which is nontoxic to plantlife will not otherwise be available on the exposed areas of a completed project and to the extent available from the project, the Commission shall require the separate stockpiling and replacement in a sublayer of sufficient quantities of appropriate soil to provide such a nontoxic layer of subsoil as is necessary for the production of each plantlife as is normally considered environmentally, ecologically, esthetically, and economically acceptable to the area. Directs the Commission to establish minimum standards to assure that projects covered by this Act will not cause pollution of existing streams, land slides, flooding or substantially change the volume of water to be carried by natural waterways on land adjoining the immediate construction area except where such change is consistent with an approved State or Federal water resource policy or law. Provides that no dirt shall be moved on any project where the moving or convering of topsoil covers an area in excess of 100,000 square feet until a license or letter of approval to do so has been issued by the Commission or by a commission to whom authority has been delegated under this Act. Authorizes the appropriation of not more than $6,000,000 annually for the administration of this Act. Provides that this Act shall take effect May 1, 1974.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on January 3, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on January 3, 1973: Referred to House Committee on Public Works.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
NEAL SMITH (D-IA) introduced it on January 3, 1973, and 1 member has since signed on as a cosponsor.
They are 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on January 3, 1973, 19656 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19656 days ago, on January 3, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers