The Subcommittee on Federal Lands convened today to discuss six legislative bills aimed at establishing a new national park in Wisconsin, addressing broadband infrastructure permitting, and encouraging state park visitation. Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) commented on the legislative agenda:
"The bills on today’s legislative agenda take important steps to expand digital access while also preserving our past by supporting key historical and commemorative sites across the country. Too often, rural and tribal areas face challenges bridging the digital divide, and today, the Federal Lands Subcommittee is working to close this gap."
One of the primary pieces of legislation discussed was H.R. _____, the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act, introduced by Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.). This bill proposes redesignating the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as a national park to highlight its unique characteristics and growing popularity.
H.R. 2405, known as the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2023 and introduced by Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), aims to facilitate land exchanges in North Dakota. The objective is to generate more revenue for education while increasing land ownership for tribes.
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) introduced H.R. 3293, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act. This bill seeks to streamline broadband deployment by creating a strike force dedicated to addressing federal agency permitting bottlenecks.
H.R. 8603, titled the Recreation and Outdoor Access Membership (ROAM) Act and introduced by Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), proposes a pilot program allowing the National Park Service (NPS) to issue an annual pass covering entry into both federal and state parks in select Southeastern states.
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Md.) presented H.R. 6210, which designates the George C. Marshall House as an affiliated area of the National Park System without adding it to federal management or estate.
Lastly, H.R. 8403, known as the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2024 and introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), authorizes a study on designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail.
