Bruce Westerman (R-AR)
Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 761.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to give the Crossett Experimental Forest, including associated facilities and natural areas, to the State of Arkansas if the State asks for it in writing within 180 days. The land transfer must be made without financial consideration using a quitclaim deed. Once the State receives the land, it must name it the Crossett Experimental State Forest and use it for forest research, education, and demonstration purposes. The State must also coordinate with the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture by giving them reasonable access for research and education. If the State fails to follow these rules and does not fix the problem after receiving notice, the land may go back to the United States.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +5
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill conveys federal land to the State of Arkansas for state management.
- Scored +3
Would students be better off under this?
The bill enhances research and educational access for state university students.
- Scored +2
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill facilitates state management of forest land for research and educational purposes.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill retains federal power through a reversionary interest if the state fails to meet conditions.
How the text last changed
Reported in House (10/29/2026), compared with Introduced in House. Each change is on the Text tab.
The newer version of the bill changes several details regarding the transfer of the Crossett Experimental Forest to the State of Arkansas. It removes provisions that exempted the conveyance from certain federal environmental and historic property laws. It adds a requirement that the Secretary of Agriculture must provide the State with complete research records and data related to the forest no later than the date of conveyance. It also updates the required name of the forest, the map date, and specific wording about university research access.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(f)(2)(B) ensures that the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture are given reasonable access to the forest for research and educational purposes, which benefits students, researchers, and the local community by keeping the land open for learning and study.
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Section 2(g)(1) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide the State with a complete copy of all study plans, plot data, measurement histories, study archives, and associated documentation related to past research, which helps preserve valuable scientific information for future educational use.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2(d) requires the State of Arkansas to pay for any costs relating to the conveyance, including surveys and other administrative costs, which means taxpayers or the State will have to foot the bill for the transfer of ownership.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill enhances research and educational access for state university students. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The development of the state forest may provide local educational and research resources.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill facilitates state management of forest land for research and educational purposes. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The bill shifts land management from federal to state authority for the purpose of research and education. Does this invest in rural communities? — The transfer of the forest to state control may support local research and educational development in Arkansas.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill conveys federal land to the State of Arkansas for state management. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill retains federal power through a reversionary interest if the state fails to meet conditions.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill mandates access for research and educational purposes for state universities.
A committee approved it and sent it to the floor
What changed from Introduced in House
The newer version of the bill changes several details regarding the transfer of the Crossett Experimental Forest to the State of Arkansas. It removes provisions that exempted the conveyance from certain federal environmental and historic property laws. It adds a requirement that the Secretary of Agriculture must provide the State with complete research records and data related to the forest no later than the date of conveyance. It also updates the required name of the forest, the map date, and specific wording about university research access.
Each change
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Section 2(a)(2) changed the definition of "State" from a plural term to a singular term.
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Section 2(a)(3) removed a version identifier ("version 1") from the map depicting the Crossett Experimental Forest, leaving the date as May 1, 2026.
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Section 2(f)(1) added the word "Experimental" to the required designation, changing it from "Crossett State Forest" to "Crossett Experimental Forest".
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Section 2(f)(2)(B) changed the description of university access, replacing "research and education access" with "access to the Forest for research and educational purposes" in coordination with the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
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Section 2(g) removed provisions stating that the conveyance is not a major Federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and that section 306108 of title 54, United States Code, does not apply to the conveyance.
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Section 2(g) added a new requirement for the Secretary to provide the State with complete research records, study plans, plot data, measurement histories, study archives, and associated documentation by the conveyance date, alongside a rule stating this subsection does not affect federal records requirements under title 44, United States Code.
Written by an AI model from a comparison of this version’s text with the one before it, not by a person. .
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- 10/29/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-864.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 761.
- 9/15/2026
- Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Unanimous Consent.
- 9/2/2026
- Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 8/26/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
- 8/20/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Introduced in House