Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on four bills that safeguard American battlefield sites, strengthen partnerships and tools for active forest management and restore motorized recreation on federal roads and trails. Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) issued the following statement in response:

"One thing is certain: preserving, protecting and managing our public lands is critical to ensuring American prosperity for generations to come. Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands heard important legislation that will conserve our nation's history, enact proper safety standards, expand access and foster collaboration between federal authorities and local communities."

Background

H.R. 7618, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), reauthorizes and strengthens the American Battlefield Protection Program in celebration of America’s 250th birthday, ensuring that our nation’s most hallowed sites are conserved for generations to come.

H.R. 7951, the Long-Term Good Neighbor Authority Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), strengthens and enhances Good Neighbor Authority, an important, collaborative tool that allows non-federal partners to actively manage fire-prone forests and build new outdoor recreation infrastructure by authorizing agreements of up to 20 years.

H.R. 7979, the Public Lands Access Restoration Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), restores a commonsense “open unless posted closed” approach to roads and trails managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, improving public access, transparency and motorized outdoor recreation opportunities.

H.R. 6778, the Parkway Safety and Reinvestment Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Donald Beyer (D-Va.), allows the Secretary of the Interior to issue citations for violations caught by speed safety cameras on National Park System (NPS) highways and utilize the funds received from those citations for construction and maintenance of the NPS highway system.