S. 485: Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-03-03 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 299.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-03-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 299. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act

Plain summary

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act - (Sec. 4) Expands the boundaries of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve (the Sanctuary) in Lake Huron to encompass the offshore waters of Presque Isle and Alcona Counties, Michigan, and outward to the international border between the United States and Canada, for the purpose of providing the underwater cultural resources of those areas equal protection to that currently afforded to the Sanctuary. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make minor adjustments to the boundary to facilitate enforcement and clarify the boundary to the public if the resulting boundary is consistent with the purposes of this Act. Requires the resulting area to be managed as part of the National Marine Sanctuary System. (Sec. 5) Sets forth applicable regulations. Directs the Secretary, to the extent practicable, to apply the management plan in effect on the date of enactment of this Act to the added geographic area. (Sec. 6) Prohibits anything in this Act from being construed as increasing, or requiring an increase of, the amount of funds appropriated or authorized for the Sanctuary.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s485.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s485 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112