Legislative Activity

The Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act of 2025 extends the period during which interest earned on obligations within the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund can be used. Specifically, this amendment moves the availability deadline for these funds from 2026 to 2033. This change aims to provide continued financial resources for wildlife restoration efforts.

This Act establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman and a Geothermal Permitting Task Force within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to streamline and accelerate the approval process for geothermal energy projects on public lands. The Ombudsman will serve as a central coordinator, resolve disputes, and monitor permitting timelines across BLM offices. The Task Force will assist the Ombudsman by temporarily reassigning expert staff and offering retention bonuses to ensure critical projects meet their deadlines.

The Indian Trust Asset Reform Amendment Act updates existing law to clarify participation in the Indian Trust Asset Management Project for federally recognized tribes and their organizations. This legislation grants tribes with approved management plans greater authority to manage their trust assets, such as leasing or forest management, without prior secretarial approval. The amendments also ensure that participation in the management project does not negatively impact a tribe's eligibility for federal funding.

This bill reauthorizes and updates the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program through fiscal year 2031, increasing its annual funding authorization to \$6.5 million. It streamlines reporting and shifts the program's focus toward integrating advanced measurement technologies, such as airborne laser altimetry, with sophisticated snowpack modeling. The updated priorities emphasize improving forecast responsiveness and supporting water management decisions in critical river basins.

The Holy Sovereignty Protection Act ensures that any U.S. citizen elected as the Pope cannot have their citizenship revoked by the United States. Furthermore, this legislation grants federal income tax exemption to any U.S. citizen serving as Supreme Pontiff for any tax year they hold the position. This protection and tax break take effect upon the bill's enactment.

The Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection Act (HELP Act) exempts commercial drivers transporting livestock, insects, or aquatic animals from federal electronic logging device (ELD) requirements and hours of service regulations. This exemption applies whether the vehicle is loaded or traveling empty to pick up or return from a delivery. The goal is to provide flexibility for those involved in the transportation of live animals.

The Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act mandates the Secretary of the Army to eliminate the existing backlog of applications for certain permits and jurisdictional determinations with the Army Corps of Engineers. Within 60 days of enactment, the Corps must prioritize and expedite the review of all pending applications existing as of June 5, 2025. This is achieved by immediately shifting or adding necessary staff and resources to clear the accumulated workload.

The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act of 2025 establishes numerous new protected zones, including Special Management Areas, Wildlife Conservation Areas, Protection Areas, and Recreation Management Areas, across federal lands in Gunnison County, Colorado. The bill mandates conservation and protection for the natural, scenic, and wildlife resources within these designated areas. It also significantly restricts off-highway vehicle and bicycle use to pre-existing trails, while simultaneously expanding certain Wilderness Areas. Finally, the Act addresses specific land management issues, including oil and gas restrictions in the North Fork Valley and the transfer of certain tribal lands into federal trust status.

The ASCEND Act establishes a permanent program within NASA to acquire commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to enhance the agency's Earth science capabilities. This initiative aims to cost-effectively supplement NASA's existing satellite observations by purchasing data from U.S. commercial vendors. The bill mandates specific reporting requirements to Congress detailing data acquisition agreements and usage terms.

The Productive Public Lands Act mandates the Secretary of the Interior to promptly reissue nine specific Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land management plans finalized between late 2024 and early 2025. This reissuance requires the BLM to formally update its preferred alternative for each plan. Crucially, these reissued documents are automatically deemed compliant with major environmental review and administrative procedure laws, bypassing further environmental analysis.

The Gold King Mine Spill Compensation Act of 2025 allows individuals and businesses harmed by the 2015 Gold King Mine spill to receive compensation from the federal government for specific, documented losses, such as injury, lost business income, and agricultural damages. Claimants must have submitted a claim by August 5, 2017, and meet specific criteria to be considered an "injured person" under the Act. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator will investigate and settle claims, adhering to Colorado state law for calculating damages, with a limited fund of $3,300,000 appropriated for this purpose. Claimants can challenge the Administrator's final decision in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.

The LOCAL Act mandates the Bureau of Land Management headquarters be located in Grand Junction, Colorado. It requires a study on the feasibility of relocating additional BLM employee positions to Grand Junction or another western state. The study will assess the potential benefits of relocation on federal land management, community coordination, and various land uses. A report on the study's findings must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Energy and Natural Resources within 365 days.