Public Lands, Wilderness Preservation, and National Parks
H.R. 1729 / S. 365
Purpose: To provide more flexibility and opportunities for various organizations to contribute to the conservation and management of the Holy Cross Wilderness.
Key Provisions:
Expands eligibility to complete maintenance work on Bolts Ditch and the Bolts Ditch Headgate within the Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado.
Allows additional entities to participate, specifically the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, a Colorado Special District, and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.
H.R. 249
Purpose: A renaming bill that honors Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. by changing the names of two facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park.
Key Provisions:
Renames the "Great Falls Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge" to "Bill Pascrell, Jr. Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge".
Renames "Overlook Park" to "Bill Pascrell, Jr. Overlook Park".
Requires all US laws, maps, regulations, and records to reflect the new names.
H.R. 5254 / S. 2767 (Gateway Partnership Act of 2025)
Purpose: To enable the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in park buildings while ensuring values and resources are protected.
Key Provisions:
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Foundation for private events using park buildings.
Mandates terms and conditions protecting park values, such as limits on dates/times, maximum weekly events, proper staffing, and liability insurance.
Permits the Secretary to charge a fee to cover wear-and-tear maintenance costs.
H.R. 5729 (North Rim Restoration Act of 2025)
Purpose: To support the National Park Service (NPS) in recovering from the impacts of the Dragon Bravo Fire at Grand Canyon National Park.
Key Provisions:
Authorizes emergency acquisition flexibilities under 48 CFR for forest management, rebuilding, planning, and design contracting.
Requires the Secretary to submit a progress and expenditure report to Congress every 180 days.
Sets an expiration date of 5 years or upon completion of recovery efforts.
H.R. 6365 / S. 3313 (Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act)
Purpose: To require an emergency exit right-of-way on specific National Park Service land in Virginia to enhance safety.
Key Provisions:
Amends existing law to direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way for an emergency exit near Milepost 9.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Requires completed evaluations of alternatives, fire ecology behavior analysis, and NEPA compliance reviews beforehand.
H.R. 6380 / S. 3715
Purpose: To preserve natural, cultural, and historical resources by establishing Chiricahua National Park in Arizona.
Key Provisions:
Designates Chiricahua National Monument as "Chiricahua National Park" with identical boundaries.
Directs the Secretary to manage the unit under standard National Park System laws.
Requires the protection of and traditional tribal access to cultural and religious sites.
S. 1005
Purpose: To address environmental, conservation, and economic development issues in Nevada.
Key Provisions:
Facilitates land trusts for the Moapa Band of Paiutes and the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe.
Adds new wilderness areas to the National Wilderness Preservation System and addresses public park conveyances in Clark County.
Implements the Lower Virgin River Watershed Plan and addresses local government conveyances.
S. 1341 (Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act)
Purpose: To expand the protection and preservation of the Sarvis Creek Wilderness in Colorado.
Key Provisions:
Adds approximately 6,817 acres of land to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness by amending the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993.
Mandates that treaty rights and traditional tribal uses be respected in the added area.
S. 1349 (Ruby Mountains Protection Act)
Purpose: To withdraw specific public lands in Nevada from operation under mineral leasing laws.
Key Provisions:
Withdraws 309,272 acres of National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdistrict.
Withdraws 39,926.10 acres of National Wildlife Refuge System land in the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, excluding noncommercial refuge management.
S. 1476 (Gila Wilderness Study Act)
Purpose: To protect the natural, cultural, and scenic resources of the Gila region by designating a wilderness study area.
Key Provisions:
Establishes the Gila National Forest Study Area in New Mexico under section 4(f) of the Wilderness Act.
Requires the Secretary to develop a comprehensive management plan within two years, to be reviewed every 10 years.
S. 1737
Purpose: To designate and expand wilderness areas and wild/scenic rivers in the Olympic National Forest, Washington.
Key Provisions:
Designates 13 new wilderness areas and expands several existing ones.
Designates about 29 miles of the Elwha River and its tributaries as a wild river, alongside multiple segments of the Dungeness River as scenic rivers.
S. 1870 (Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act)
Purpose: To preserve natural and cultural resources by integrating the Rim of the Valley Corridor into the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Key Provisions:
Expands the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Unit.
Protects the operation and maintenance of existing water resource facilities and public utilities while minimizing environmental impacts.
S. 2498
Purpose: To allow for more flexibility and efficiency in lease management within National Park System units.
Key Provisions:
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to extend existing leases without opening them to competitive bidding.
Requires the lessee to have held the lease for at least 5 years and remain in full compliance.
S. 2801 (Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization Act)
Purpose: To assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village site in New Hampshire as a National Heritage Area.
Key Provisions:
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study in consultation with state and local historic preservation groups.
Focuses on evaluating the 700-acre site's historical significance, cultural landscape, and national importance.
S. 2887
Purpose: To preserve and protect the historical, cultural, and scenic significance of Route 66.
Key Provisions:
Designates all alignments of U.S. Highway 66 active between 1926 and 1985 as the Route 66 National Historic Trail.
Explicitly prohibits the use of eminent domain, land acquisition without owner consent, or the creation of buffer zones.
S. 2933
Purpose: To honor West Virginia children and families impacted by childhood cancer by renaming a public facility.
Key Provisions:
Redesignates the primary playground in the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve as the "Hearts of Gold Playground".
S. 2968 (Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act)
Purpose: To improve public land access and recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Key Provisions:
Directs federal secretaries to prioritize updating travel management and motor vehicle use plans to ensure disability accessibility.
Establishes strict notification requirements and a rebuttable presumption that existing roads should remain open for public use.
S. 3194
Purpose: To evaluate the potential benefits and feasibility of establishing a National Heritage Area in California's Monterey Bay region.
Key Provisions:
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study covering Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo counties.
S. 3720
Purpose: To explore the potential for designating the Bay Area Ridge Trail as a national scenic trail to maximize outdoor recreation.
Key Provisions:
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete a feasibility study on the 550-mile multi-use trail within one year of enactment.
S. 3785
Purpose: To streamline and expedite post-wildfire recovery efforts at Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest.
Key Provisions:
Grants emergency acquisition and contracting flexibilities to the Secretary concerned.
Mandates 180-day congressional reporting on expenditures and progress, and prioritizes local and tribal business contracting.
S. 4238
Purpose: To recognize the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area in Pennsylvania as a significant cultural and natural resource.
Key Provisions:
Designates the region (Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties) as a component of the National Heritage Area System.
Requires a management plan to be submitted by the local coordinating entity within 3 years.
S. 4293 (No Funding to Honor Crime Scenes Act)
Purpose: To terminate a federal national monument site and repurpose its resources.
Key Provisions:
Closes and disposes of the César E. Chávez National Monument in California for fair market value within 90 days.
Discontinues all funding and removes all federal references to the monument.
S. 4399
Purpose: To provide for the conveyance of federal land in Alaska under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
Key Provisions:
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey ~21,578 acres of land to Doyon, Limited.
Adjusts the boundary of Denali National Park and Preserve and reserves required public easements and mining restrictions.
S. 4538
Purpose: To study the historical route taken by George Washington in 1753 for potential national historic trail designation.
Key Provisions:
Authorizes a feasibility study for "Washington's Trail—1753," stretching ~500 miles between Williamsburg, Virginia, and Fort LeBoeuf, Pennsylvania.
S. 764 (Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act)
Purpose: To boost Colorado's outdoor recreation economy through new wilderness, conservation, and recreation designations.
Key Provisions:
Adds new wilderness areas to the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (including Holy Cross, Hoosier Ridge, Tenmile, and Eagles Nest).
Establishes the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area and updates management guidelines for the Curecanti National Recreation Area.
S. 791
Purpose: To preserve, protect, and interpret the historic civil rights contributions of Justice Thurgood Marshall.
Key Provisions:
Establishes the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site (Public School 103 in Baltimore, Maryland) as an affiliated area of the National Park System.
S. 888 (Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act)
Purpose: To protect Oregon's natural environment, promote outdoor recreation, and expand wilderness preservation.
Key Provisions:
Designates roughly 128,034 acres of BLM and Forest Service land as recreation and wilderness areas (Rogue Canyon and Molalla).
Expands the Wild Rogue Wilderness area by approximately 59,512 acres and mandates wildfire mitigation planning.
S. 945
Purpose: To expand the Smith River National Recreation Area in Oregon while safeguarding its natural resources and tribal rights.
Key Provisions:
Adds specific acreage to the recreation area and designates select wild rivers under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
Establishes streamside protection zones and provisions for wildlife and vegetation management.
Water Infrastructure, Management, and Rights
H.R. 7250 / S. 3635
Purpose: To extend the implementation timeline for rural water infrastructure projects.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000.
Extends the implementation/reauthorization deadline from 2026 to 2028.
S. 1257
Purpose: To provide additional funding for specific Carey Act water projects and ensure high efficiency.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to permit funds for rehabilitation, reconstruction, or replacement of Carey Act-developed dams.
Requires the Secretary to certify that target dams have obtained required completion funding.
S. 3409 (Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act)
Purpose: To maintain federal oversight and long-term protection of native aquatic species in the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel.
Key Provisions:
Reaffirms exclusive Bureau of Reclamation ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility over the channel.
Prohibits transferring operational duties to non-federal entities like the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District.
S. 3573
Purpose: To provide administrative flexibility for completing regional water delivery systems.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act.
Allows completion deadlines for the Regional Water System to be extended if all participating local, state, federal, and tribal parties consent.
S. 3617
Purpose: To clarify financial and operational terminology regarding regional water management systems.
Key Provisions:
Defines technical and economic terms (such as CAP System, C.C. Cragin Dam and Reservoir, and associated capital/operating costs) under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) of 2009.
S. 3738
Purpose: To promote nation-wide water conservation, efficiency, and infrastructure modernization.
Key Provisions:
Reauthorizes the Large-Scale Water Recycling and Reuse Program and establishes a new Water Conveyance Improvement Program.
Authorizes $450 million in appropriations for fiscal years 2028 through 2032 to issue grants for multi-benefit conveyance projects.
S. 4041
Purpose: To strengthen cooperative watershed management across multiple stakeholder groups.
Key Provisions:
Reauthorizes the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, raising individual grant caps to $150,000 per year.
Authorizes $40 million in annual appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 and streamlines application enrollment.
S. 4300 (JOAN Act / Jurisdictional Oversight and Adjudication for Natural Gas Act)
Purpose: To improve interagency coordination and streamline reviews for specific energy and water resource authorizations.
Key Provisions:
Mandates early interagency cooperation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews.
Exempts applicants from certain Clean Water Act Section 401 certifications while establishing strict scheduling and participation guidelines for local, state, and tribal entities.
S. 4368
Purpose: To handle complex regional water rights, land use, and native community frameworks in California.
Key Provisions:
Outlines foundational terms like Indio Subbasin and Facility Land under Public Law 116-109.
Acknowledges groundwater rights and cooperation frameworks between the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Coachella Valley Water District, and Desert Water Agency.
S. 4417
Purpose: To make technical corrections to an existing Indian water rights settlement.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act.
Refines the definition of the reservation and redirects funds from the Pechanga Water Quality Account toward addressing local Wolf Valley Basin water quality issues.
S. 4890
Purpose: To fund and satisfy ongoing federal obligations regarding Indian water rights settlements.
Key Provisions:
Establishes two specific subaccounts within the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund (Operations/Maintenance and New/Continuing Settlements).
Schedules mandatory capital deposits totaling tens of millions of dollars from 2026 through 2035.
Energy, Mineral Leasing, and Public Land Permitting
H.R. 5631 / S. 5039 (License to Drill Act)
Purpose: To improve the efficiency, transparency, and processing speed of energy permitting on federal lands.
Key Provisions:
Appoints a Geothermal Ombudsman within the BLM and establishes a dedicated Geothermal Permitting Task Force.
Extends the collection window for application-for-permit-to-drill fees through 2037 and directs those revenues to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.
S. 4410
Purpose: To modify financial structures for federal coal leasing programs.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Mineral Leasing Act of 1977 to require bonus payments for specific competitive coal leases to be submitted in 10 equal annual installments.
Healthcare, Public Health, and Social Services
H.R. 5334
Purpose: To grant tax relief to early childhood educators in recognition of their vital educational role.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow early childhood educators to qualify for the educator expense deduction.
Expands the definition of eligible educators to include kindergarten through grade 12 teachers starting in taxable years after December 31, 2024.
S. 1874 (Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025)
Purpose: To reauthorize programs designed to resolve nationwide nursing workforce shortages.
Key Provisions:
Increases funding appropriations for advanced nursing education grants (nurse practitioners, clinical specialists, nurse-midwives).
Expands institutional capacity to grow student enrollment and faculty sizes.
S. 380 (Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act)
Purpose: To expand maternal care quality and emergency medical support in rural medical facilities.
Key Provisions:
Establishes specialized, evidence-based obstetric emergency training programs for rural healthcare providers without dedicated maternity wards.
Creates a grant funding vehicle for essential emergency equipment/supplies and launches a telehealth consultation pilot program for maternal care.
S. 4110
Purpose: To scale up and reinforce primary care and pediatric health workforce programs.
Key Provisions:
Reauthorizes Title VII health professions programs, increasing resource allocations for AHECs, nursing programs, and primary care student loan repayment.
Targets specialized investments toward pediatric residency pipelines in underserved geographic sectors.
S. 494 (National Plan for Epilepsy Act)
Purpose: To coordinate nationwide research, diagnosis, and medical support services for individuals with epilepsy.
Key Provisions:
Directs the creation of an Advisory Council on Epilepsy Research, Care, and Services.
Mandates a cohesive national project to align federal agency tracking, decrease social stigmas, and accelerate treatment solutions.
Food Safety, Consumer Protection, and Public Health Standards
S. 4974 (Making America's Food Safer Act)
Purpose: To modernize food safety guidelines and strengthen disease surveillance across the United States.
Key Provisions:
Expands the third-party auditor certification program for imported and domestic food shipments.
Empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services to safely share unredacted surveillance, recall lists, and laboratory testing details with state, local, and tribal authorities.
S. 5026
Purpose: To combat rising obesity and diet-related medical conditions, particularly among children.
Key Provisions:
Mandates explicit warning labels on ultra-processed foods, high-sugar beverages, and items carrying high levels of sodium or saturated fats.
Restricts junk food marketing targeted at minors and allocates funding for federal enforcement regulations.
Taxation, Finance, and Corporate Integrity
H.R. 677 (Expedited Appeals Review Act)
Purpose: To offer a faster dispute resolution process for select land and administrative appeals involving the Department of the Interior.
Key Provisions:
Permits affected parties to file a written notice with the Board of Land Appeals seeking expedited reviews within 6 months.
Establishes that missed deadlines cause the contested decision to become final and subject to ordinary judicial review.
S. 2658
Purpose: To improve transparency, consistency, and integrity in pharmaceutical patent disclosures.
Key Provisions:
Requires brand-name drug and biological product application sponsors to certify that data submitted to the FDA matches information filed with the USPTO.
Mandates the disclosure of relevant formulation, manufacturing process, and method-of-use patentability data.
S. 4287
Purpose: To curb aggressive tax-avoidance strategies tied to trust arrangements.
Key Provisions:
Imposes a mandatory minimum 15-year term for Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs).
Requires remainder interests to equal at least 25% of transferred asset values and treats property exchanges between trusts and deemed owners as taxable sales.
S. 4292
Purpose: To extend financial retirement options to unpaid family caretakers.
Key Provisions:
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow qualified family caregivers to make excess contributions to Roth IRAs.
Defines a qualified caregiver as someone completing at least 500 hours of annual uncompensated caregiving tasks (e.g., medication management, special needs support, mobility assistance).
S. 4297
Purpose: To eliminate specific educational tax credits and alter income exclusions.
Key Provisions:
Repeals the Internal Revenue Code Section 25F tax credit for donations made to scholarship-granting organizations.
Strips scholarship gross-income exclusion rules effective after December 31, 2026.
S. 4299 (Ban Presidential Plunder of Taxpayer Funds Act)
Purpose: To prevent former and sitting executive branch officials from leveraging legal actions for personal financial enrichment from the US Treasury.
Key Provisions:
Prohibits presidents, vice presidents, and their immediate families from recovering damages, legal attorney fees, or government reimbursements without explicit court orders.
Imposes strict civil fines, asset disgorgement, and prison penalties for statutory violations.
Foreign Policy, International Agencies, and Memorials
S. 1088
Purpose: To honor the wartime sacrifices of women on the home front during World War II with a dedicated permanent landmark.
Key Provisions:
Proposes the establishment of a memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C. (Area I or the Reserve).
Highlights the historical contributions of over 18 million female pilots, codebreakers, mechanics, and engineers.
S. 4295 (Stop Support for UNRWA Act of 2026)
Purpose: To restrict United States financial support and diplomatic immunities for international bodies tied to terrorism-supporting nations.
Key Provisions:
Prohibits all voluntary or involuntary US financial contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Blocks federal funds from financing US delegations to specialized UN commissions chaired by states linked to state-sponsored terrorism, and revokes official immunities.