Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Caja del Rio Protection Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
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
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Caja del Rio Protection Act aims to establish the Caja del Rio Special Management Area and the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area in New Mexico. The bill seeks to protect the cultural, spiritual, ecological, and historical values of these lands. It includes provisions for managing specific land areas through comprehensive management plans developed by the Secretary. The legislation also addresses travel management to control motorized access and road use. Additionally, it provides for land exchanges between the federal government and the State of New Mexico. Finally, the act establishes a withdrawal area to restrict certain types of land entry and resource leasing.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +9
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill provides significant protections for tribal rights, cultural practices, and management opportunities.
- Scored +8
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill establishes conservation areas to protect ecological, wildlife habitat, and natural values.
- Scored +6
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill enhances opportunities for Indian Tribes to engage in the preservation and management of the lands.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -3
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill limits motorized access and new road construction in the managed areas.
- Scored -2
Does this invest in rural communities?
The bill implements restrictions on road construction and access that may impact rural connectivity.
- Scored -2
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill restricts resource extraction and new permanent road construction, which may limit some small business activities.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Cultural and Spiritual Preservation: The bill establishes areas specifically designed to conserve and protect cultural, spiritual, religious, and traditional values (Section 101(b) and Section 201(b)).
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Support for Indian Tribes: The Act enhances opportunities for interested Indian Tribes to engage in the preservation and management of the areas (Section 101(b) and Section 201(b)). It also allows for tribal contracting to perform administrative or management functions (Section 302(a)).
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Protection of Traditional Uses: The bill allows for the continuation of traditional historic uses, such as hunting, fishing, and gathering, by land grant-merced or traditional historic communities (Section 2 of the Act, under "Traditional historic use").
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Tribal Resource Rights: Members of interested Indian Tribes are permitted to collect plants and mineral resources for noncommercial traditional and cultural uses (Section 302(d)(1)).
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Protection of Sacred Sites: The Act includes protections to prevent the public disclosure of information regarding the nature or location of sacred sites to protect cultural resources and privacy (Section 303(e)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restrictions on Land Use and Access: The bill implements travel management plans to decrease unauthorized road access and motorized use (Section 102(c)(3) and Section 202(d)).
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Road Decommissioning: The Secretary is required to decommission any roads in a covered area that are not specifically designated on the Map or in a travel management plan (Section 301(a)(3)).
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Restrictions on New Construction: No new permanent road construction is permitted in the covered areas unless specifically designated under certain exceptions (Section 301(a)(1)).
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Limitations on Resource Extraction: The bill withdraws lands from forms of entry, appropriation, disposal, and the operation of mineral and geothermal leasing laws (Section 301(c) and Section 401).
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.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill establishes conservation areas to protect ecological, wildlife habitat, and natural values. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — The bill withdraws lands from the operation of mineral and geothermal leasing laws. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill implements restrictions on road construction and access that may impact rural connectivity.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill enhances opportunities for Indian Tribes to engage in the preservation and management of the lands.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides significant protections for tribal rights, cultural practices, and management opportunities. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill limits motorized access and new road construction in the managed areas. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Restrictions on land use and resource access could have minor impacts on local subsistence livelihoods.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill provides protections against the public disclosure of the location or nature of sacred sites.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill restricts resource extraction and new permanent road construction, which may limit some small business activities.
- 7/15/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
- 4/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico