John Barrasso (R-WY)
Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act
A Republican bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 13 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 333.
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, known as the "Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act," seeks to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996. It establishes a special "Ski Area Fee Retention Account" within the U.S. Treasury. This account will hold ski area permit rental charges collected by the Secretary of Agriculture. The funds are intended to be used for specific administrative and maintenance activities related to ski areas and the National Forest System. The bill outlines how these funds are distributed locally and across the agency.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +5
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
The bill provides dedicated funding for wildfire risk management and the maintenance of trails and facilities in National Forest units.
- Scored +4
Does this repair or build roads and bridges?
The bill authorizes funds for the repair, maintenance, or enhancement of Forest Service-owned roads and facilities.
- Scored +4
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill mandates that a large majority of funds collected from local units be returned to those same local units for infrastructure and safety.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Local Economic and Infrastructure Support: The Secretary is required to expend 80 percent of the rental charges collected at a specific unit back at that same unit (Section 2(a)(4)(A)(i)). This provides direct funding for local areas through:
- Administrative and Safety Activities: Such as processing applications for new ski areas or improvements, staff training, visitor information, and signage (Section 2(a)(5)(A)).
- Wildfire Risk Management: Funds can be used for planning or coordinating responses to wildfires near recreation sites, or reducing wildfire risks near those sites (Section 2(a)(5)(A)(v-vi)).
- Facility and Safety Maintenance: Funds can be used for repairing or maintaining Forest Service-owned facilities, roads, or trails to improve visitor enjoyment, access, or safety (Section 2(a)(5)(B)(i)).
- Public Safety and Services: This includes law enforcement related to public use, avalanche information and education, and search and rescue activities (Section 2(a)(5)(B)(iii-vii)).
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Supplemental Funding: The retained funds are intended to supplement, rather than replace, the existing appropriated funding for the operation and maintenance of covered units (Section 2(a)(7)(B)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Fund Limitations: The bill explicitly prohibits the use of these funds for wildfire suppression or for acquiring new land for the National Forest System (Section 2(a)(6)).
-
Reduced Local Distribution: The Secretary has the authority to reduce the local distribution percentage to as low as 60 percent if they determine the amount exceeds the "reasonable needs" of the covered unit (Section 2(a)(4)(A)(iii)).
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 public land such as parks and forests? — The bill provides dedicated funding for wildfire risk management and the maintenance of trails and facilities in National Forest units. Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — The bill authorizes funds for the repair, maintenance, or enhancement of Forest Service-owned roads and facilities. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill allows for funds to be used for habitat restoration directly related to recreation and wildfire risk reduction.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill mandates that a large majority of funds collected from local units be returned to those same local units for infrastructure and safety. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill facilitates the processing of applications for new ski areas and improvement projects, which benefits the ski industry.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill funds administrative activities for processing new ski area applications and improvement projects which may support employment. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill creates a self-sustaining fund for maintenance and administration that supplements existing appropriations.
- 2/11/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. With written report No. 119-104.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 333.
- 9/11/2025
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 4/10/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/6/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S795-796)
- 11 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
4 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Mike CrapoRepublican · Idaho
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
John CurtisRepublican · Utah
Steve DainesRepublican · Montana
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Maggie HassanDemocrat · New Hampshire
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming
James RischRepublican · Idaho
Jeanne ShaheenDemocrat · New Hampshire
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon