Public Lands in Public Hands Act
This bill prohibits the U.S. Interior and Agriculture Secretaries from transferring title of certain federal lands to non-government entities. It specifically blocks transfers of lands that are publicly accessible (via roads, trails, or waterways) or adjacent to such lands, unless the land is under 300 acres or meets specific exceptions. Key exceptions include small parcels under 5 acres accessible by water, transfers authorized by historical laws like the Alaska Statehood Act, and land exchanges already permitted by federal law. The bill does not affect existing transfers under these authorized programs or prevent agencies from subdividing land to meet acreage thresholds.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Jan 23, 2025
Last action Feb 28, 2025
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Feb 28, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 18 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Ryan K. Zinke
RRepublican
Co
Bonnie Watson Coleman
DDemocratic
Co
Debbie Dingell
DDemocratic
Co
Eugene Simon Vindman
DDemocratic
Co
Gabe Vasquez
DDemocratic
Co
Greg Stanton
DDemocratic
Co
Janelle S. Bynum
DDemocratic
Co
Jimmy Panetta
DDemocratic
Co
Joe Neguse
DDemocratic
Co
Juan Ciscomani
RRepublican
Co
Kevin Kiley
IIndependent
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