HR 6365 United States House · 119th Congress

Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act

Summary

Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to issue a right-of-way through the Blue Ridge Parkway for an additional emergency exit from Wintergreen in Nelson County, Virginia, once certain requirements have been met. Specifically, Interior must grant the right-of-way if it reports to specified congressional committees that the following have been completed: (1) an evaluation of alternatives to the right-of-way for exiting Wintergreen that do not cross federal land, including an evaluation of whether existing trails can be converted to roads; (2) an analysis of expected fire ecology behavior in the event of a fire emergency with respect to the right-of-way; and (3) any required reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Jul 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Dec 2, 2025 Last action Jul 29, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 1 edit · Mar 3, 2026

MINOR

The engrossed version replaces the Secretary of the Interior's obligation to 'certify' that certain conditions are met before issuing the right-of-way with a requirement to 'report' those conditions to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This shifts accountability from an executive self-certification process to a legislative oversight mechanism, giving Congress direct visibility into whether alternatives were evaluated, fire ecology analysis was completed, and required environmental reviews were finished.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed the Secretary of the Interior's obligation from 'certifying' that conditions are met to 'reporting' those conditions to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources before issuing the right-of-way. This gives Congress a direct oversight role rather than relying on an executive self-assessment.

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

Jul 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

upper

Jul 21, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2347)

lower

Mar 3, 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 H2347)

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Introduced

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

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-511.

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged

lower

Dec 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee Hearings Held

lower

Dec 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

lower

Dec 2, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

lower

Dec 2, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 7 co-sponsors