WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

The law › Title 16, Conservation › Chapter 32

16 U.S.C. 1431: Findings, purposes, and policies; establishment of system

Created in 1972 by Public Law 92-532. Changed by 5 later laws. 1 bill in this Congress would change it.

8 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 16 U.S.C. 1432, 16 U.S.C. 1445c-1, 33 U.S.C. 1345, 33 U.S.C. 1503, 33 U.S.C. 2602.

2 parts of federal rules cite it as their authority, written by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce (2).

This Congress

  • H.R. 261 Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025 · passed house · would change 310A

How it got here

2000

  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(a), inserted "; establishment of system" at end of section catchline. (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(b)(1), substituted "scientific, educational, cultural, archeological, or esthetic" for "research, educational, or esthetic". (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(b)(2), inserted "and" at end. (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(b)(3), added par. (4) and struck out former pars. (4) to (6) which read as follows: (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(c)(1), substituted "significance and to manage these areas as the National Marine Sanctuary System;" for "significance;". (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(c)(2), (4), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: "to support, promote, and coordinate scientific research on, and monitoring of, the resources of these marine areas, especially long-term monitoring and research of these areas;". (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(c)(2), (4), added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: "to enhance public awareness, understanding, appreciation, and wise use of the marine environment;". (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(c)(3), (4), added par. (5) and redesignated former pars. (5) and (6) as (6) and (7), respectively. Former par. (7) redesignated (8). (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(c)(3), (5), redesignated par. (7) as (8) and substituted "areas, including the application of innovative management techniques; and" for "areas;". Former par. (8) redesignated (9). (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(c)(2), (3), (6), redesignated par. (8) as (9), substituted a period for "; and", and struck out former par. (9) which read as follows: "to maintain, restore, and enhance living resources by providing places for species that depend upon these marine areas to survi… (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 106–513, §3(d), added subsec. (c). (National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000) Law text · (c)

1996

  • Pub. L. 104–283 substituted a semicolon for a period at end. (National Marine Sanctuaries Preservation Act) Law text · (b)

1992

  • Pub. L. 102–587, §2101(a)(1), inserted ", and in some cases international," after "national". · (a)
  • Pub. L. 102–587, §2101(a)(2), inserted ", research," after "conservation" and struck out "and" at end. · (a)
  • Pub. L. 102–587, §2101(a)(3), (4), added par. (6). · (a)
  • Pub. L. 102–587, §2101(b), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: "The purposes and policies of this chapter are— · (b)

1984

  • Pub. L. 98–498 amended section generally, substituting provisions relating to Congressional declaration of findings, purposes and policies for provisions defining "Secretary" and "State". See section 1432 of this title.

1980

  • Pub. L. 96–332 inserted provisions defining "State".

Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.