Latest action: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-237.
Bill is filed in its originating chamber and assigned a number.
Sponsor
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Filed in the Senate.
Next: In Committee
Members of the committee(s) the bill was referred to
Expands the Smith River National Recreation Area in size and protection.
The problem
The Smith River area needs expanded protection and recreation management to preserve its natural resources and improve public access.
The proposal
The bill increases the size of the Smith River National Recreation Area and adjusts its boundaries to include more land under federal protection.
The impact
Local landowners, recreation users, and conservation groups are affected. Some gain protected access; others face land-use restrictions.
Expanding the recreation area protects more forests, rivers, and wildlife habitats. This preserves ecosystems for future generations and maintains biodiversity.
More protected land means more opportunities for hiking, camping, and fishing. This benefits tourists and outdoor enthusiasts who visit the area.
Federal protection ensures the land stays preserved permanently rather than being developed. This creates lasting environmental benefits.
Landowners in the expanded area face restrictions on how they can use their property. They cannot develop or use land as freely as before.
Federal lands pay less in property taxes than private lands. Expanding the area could decrease county tax income.
The federal government must fund management of the expanded area. Taxpayers bear these costs for operations and maintenance.
Federal management means local communities have less say in land decisions. Outside agencies make rules instead of local governments.
Generated by AI from the bill text. Not a prediction and not legal or policy advice. The percentage is the model's own rating of each item — self-reported, and not a measure of how accurate it is.
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Individual contributions, grouped by employer · FEC
Where their individual donors work · 2026 cycle
Money from people who work there, not from the company. Not tied to this bill.
Itemized individual contributions via FEC, grouped by the employer each contributor self-reported. Companies and unions cannot contribute to federal candidates from their treasuries, so these totals are money from people who work at an employer — never from the organization itself. They are campaign contributions covering a full election cycle and are not connected to this bill.
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