Mike Lee (R-UT)
Historic Roadways Protection Act
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 696.
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 Historic Roadways Protection Act. It stops the Secretary of the Interior from using federal funds to finalize or implement new travel management plans for specific travel management areas in Utah. It also stops the use of funds to implement certain existing travel management plans in Utah. This prohibition lasts until the Secretary certifies to Congress that specific R.S. 2477 court cases are fully adjudicated. Holding our officials accountable means tracking how these funds and restrictions impact public lands.
Yes
- Scored +3
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Local Utah residents and recreational access advocates may benefit from halting restrictive federal travel management plans.
- Scored +3
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The legislation restricts federal agency actions in Utah pending the resolution of state-involved R.S. 2477 court cases.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
The bill halts federal travel management plans in Utah until extensive litigation is resolved, delaying coordinated land management.
- Scored -2
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
Halting travel management plans could delay conservation efforts and environmental protections on public lands.
- Scored -2
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
Delaying implementation of travel management plans limits structured environmental safeguards in specified Utah areas.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Halt on Specific Plans: Under Section 2(b), the Secretary of the Interior is prohibited from spending federal funds to finalize or implement new travel management plans for ten specific areas, including the Henry Mountains and Fremont Gorge Travel Management Area and the San Rafael Swell Travel Management Area, as well as implementing four other named plans like the San Rafael Desert Travel Management Plan. This might be seen as positive for individuals or groups who want to prevent these specific federal travel management plans from moving forward until ongoing court cases are resolved.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Indefinite Hold on Management Plans: Under Section 2(a)(1) and Section 2(b), the restriction on using funds lasts until every single one of the twenty-two listed R.S. 2477 court cases is fully adjudicated and certified to Congress. This could be considered a negative burden if individuals or groups rely on these travel management plans for organized land use, environmental protection, or recreation, as the bill delays the finalization and implementation of these plans for an unspecified and potentially very long time.
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 halts federal travel management plans in Utah until extensive litigation is resolved, delaying coordinated land management. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Delaying implementation of travel management plans limits structured environmental safeguards in specified Utah areas. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Halting travel management plans could delay conservation efforts and environmental protections on public lands.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Local Utah residents and recreational access advocates may benefit from halting restrictive federal travel management plans.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The legislation restricts federal agency actions in Utah pending the resolution of state-involved R.S. 2477 court cases.
- 11/12/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 696.
- 2/4/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 12/2/2025
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-237.
- 1/14/2025
- 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.
John CurtisRepublican · Utah