CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Ryan Zinke (R-MT)

Public Lands in Public Hands Act

H.R. 718 · House bill Public Lands and Natural Resources

A Republican bill with 12 Democratic cosponsors · See all 18 cosponsors

Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

The Public Lands in Public Hands Act aims to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from transferring title of certain Federal lands to non-Federal entities. This restriction applies to publicly accessible tracts or land contiguous with such tracts or land owned by state, county, or municipal governments that is accessible via public routes. The bill includes several exceptions for smaller land parcels and transfers authorized by specific existing laws. It also prohibits the Secretary from subdividing land just to meet the acreage minimums listed in the exceptions.

Yes· 3 of 5

  • Scored +5

    Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?

    The bill helps maintain large, contiguous areas of public land under federal management.

  • Scored +3

    Would people in rural areas be better off under this?

    The bill ensures that publicly accessible tracts and contiguous lands remain under federal control for local access.

  • Scored +2

    Does this invest in rural communities?

    The bill preserves public access to land that may be critical for rural community use and connectivity.

The opposite

  • Scored -2

    Does this make housing cost less?

    The bill restricts the transfer of federal land which could potentially include land used for future housing developments.