Pete Stauber (R-MN)
Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025
A Republican bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218.
Waiting for a floor vote in the other chamber
Passed one chamber and is on the other chamber's calendar.
The calendar is a queue, not a date. The majority leadership decides what comes to the floor and when; much of what is placed on it is never called, and a bill that is never called simply expires with the Congress.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House voice vote
- Awaiting Senate
- On Senate calendar
The House by voice vote (members called out yes or no together): no member's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
This Act, known as the "Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025," authorizes a land exchange in Itasca County, Minnesota. The exchange involves the United States acquiring approximately 36.7 acres of non-Federal land from Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC (BWLT) in exchange for approximately 17.5 acres of Federal land. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to accept the offer within one year if certain conditions are met. The exchange requires appraisals to ensure equal value, with potential cash equalization payments. The acquired land will be managed as part of the Chippewa National Forest.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
The act allows Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC to exchange and potentially consolidate its land holdings.
- Scored +3
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The act adds non-Federal land to the Chippewa National Forest for regulated management.
- Scored +2
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The act involves the management and preservation of land in rural Itasca County.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expansion of National Forest Management: The non-Federal land acquired by the United States will be added to, and managed as part of, the Chippewa National Forest (Section 3(f)).
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Protection of Land Value: The Act requires that the land exchange be for equal value, using appraisals conducted by independent and qualified appraisers (Section 3(c) and Section 3(d)).
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Potential Donation to the United States: If the non-Federal land is valued higher than the Federal land, any waived cash equalization payment will be considered a donation by BWLT to the United States (Section 3(c)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Reduction of Federal Land: The United States will convey all right, title, and interest in approximately 17.5 acres of Federal land to BWLT (Section 3(a)(2)).
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Limited Access to National Forest: The conveyance of Federal land to BWLT includes an exception that reserves an easement for road access to National Forest System land west of the Federal Parcel (Section 3(a)(2)).
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 business owners be better off under this? — The act allows Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC to exchange and potentially consolidate its land holdings. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The act involves the management and preservation of land in rural Itasca County.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The act adds non-Federal land to the Chippewa National Forest for regulated management. Does this invest in rural communities? — The land exchange involves the management of land in Itasca County, Minnesota.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The act provides a mechanism for a private timber company to exchange land parcels. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The land exchange may facilitate local land use by Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The federal government acquires new land to be managed under its jurisdiction.
- 10/27/2025
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Reported by Senator Boozman without amendment. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218.
- 10/21/2025
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 1/22/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 1/21/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H242-243)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H242-243)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 197.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H242-244)
- Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 1/6/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Michelle FischbachRepublican · Minnesota
Brad FinstadRepublican · Minnesota