HR 2768 United States House · 119th Congress

Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026

HR 2768, the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025, requires the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study within one year of enactment to determine if the 287-mile Benton MacKaye Trail - which runs through Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, traversing national forests, wilderness areas, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - should be designated as a National Scenic Trail. The study must evaluate the trail’s suitability for this designation, considering its current use, maintenance, economic benefits to rural communities, and existing federal land management. This bill does not change the trail’s status but sets a process to assess its potential future designation under the National Trails System Act.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Jun 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Apr 9, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 3 edits · Jun 2, 2026

MINOR

The Engrossed version removes the entire congressional findings section that described the Benton MacKaye Trail's features and significance, updates the short title from 2025 to 2026, and most importantly extends the deadline for the Secretary of Agriculture to complete the feasibility study from 1 year to 2 years after enactment. The timeline extension is the key substantive policy change, giving the agency an additional year to conduct the study.

TIMELINE

The deadline for completing and submitting the feasibility study to Congress was extended from 1 year to 2 years after the date of enactment.

SCOPE

The entire Section 2 (Findings) was deleted, which had contained nine findings describing the trail's length, scenic features, biodiversity, economic benefits to rural communities, accessibility, and maintenance history since 1980.

TECHNICAL

The short title year was updated from 2025 to 2026 to reflect the new legislative session.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 2, 2026

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3749-3750)

lower

Jun 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3749-3750)

lower

Jun 2, 2026

Introduced

Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-582.

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors