Foundation for America’s Public Lands Reauthorization Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4044

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-17: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Last Updated

2026-06-04T08:07:47Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This legislation, titled the "Foundation for America's Public Lands Reauthorization Act," aims to reauthorize and update the operations of a nonprofit foundation that supports the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a federal agency responsible for managing public lands. The foundation helps fund projects that promote the conservation, use, and management of these lands in line with the BLM's "multiple use" mandate, which balances activities like recreation, energy production, grazing, and resource extraction.

Key Provisions

• Name Change: Renames the "Bureau of Land Management Foundation" to the "Foundation for America's Public Lands."
• Expanded Purposes: Adds the fulfillment of the BLM's multiple use mandate (e.g., sustainable management of lands for various public benefits) as an official goal.
• Board Structure and Composition:
• Increases the board size over time: up to 12 members within 180 days of enactment, up to 15 members after two years, and up to 18 members after four years.
• Requires at least one-third of board members to have expertise in areas like natural resource management, cultural preservation, conservation, law, or research.
• Mandates diverse representation on the 18-member board (after four years), including members with experience in: energy production (one from fossil fuels and one from non-fossil sources), ranching or grazing on federal lands, non-motorized outdoor recreation, motorized outdoor recreation, hunting/fishing or recreational shooting, and mining.
• Funding and Restrictions:
• Allocates $10,000,000 annually to the Secretary of the Interior for each of the five fiscal years following enactment to support the foundation's activities.
• Prohibits the use of foundation funds for litigation (legal lawsuits) or lobbying (efforts to influence pending legislation in Congress).
• Handling of Donations: Allows the foundation to accept gifts, inheritances, or bequests of money or property and transfer them to federal agencies (like the BLM) for use in multiple-use projects without needing additional congressional approval, as long as the funds align with the BLM's mission.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Section 122 of Public Law 115-31 (codified at 43 U.S.C. 1748c), which originally established the foundation:

• Updates the foundation's name and explicitly includes the BLM's multiple use mandate in its purposes, broadening its scope beyond prior focuses.
• Expands and diversifies the board of directors for better representation of stakeholder interests, replacing a less specific structure.
• Introduces strict prohibitions on using funds for litigation or lobbying, which were not previously detailed.
• Shifts from open-ended ("such sums as necessary") funding to a fixed annual appropriation of $10 million for five years, providing more predictable support.
• Adds provisions for direct transfer of donations to federal entities without further appropriations, streamlining resource use.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Enhances the BLM's ability to fund conservation and multiple-use projects through stable foundation support and flexible donation handling, potentially improving land management efficiency without relying solely on annual budgets.
• On Citizens: Benefits public land users by promoting balanced access for recreation (e.g., hiking, off-roading, hunting), energy development, grazing, and mining, while ensuring funds aren't diverted to legal fights or political influence.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic public lands management; however, it could indirectly support U.S. conservation efforts that align with global environmental goals.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: Primarily the BLM and Department of the Interior, which gain enhanced funding and project support.
• Industry and User Groups: Energy producers (fossil and renewable), ranchers/grazers, mining companies, outdoor recreation enthusiasts (non-motorized and motorized), hunters/fishers, and recreational shooters, all represented on the board.
• Nonprofit and Public Interest Groups: Conservation organizations, researchers, and the general public who use or value federal lands for education, cultural preservation, or environmental protection.
• Foundation Board and Donors: Existing and new members must adapt to expanded roles and diversity requirements; donors benefit from simplified federal transfers.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens accountability by banning fund use for litigation or lobbying, reducing risks of conflicts with federal ethics rules (e.g., anti-lobbying statutes). The donation transfer provision respects congressional oversight by tying uses to the BLM's statutory mission, avoiding "backdoor" spending concerns.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority under the Property Clause (Article IV, Section 3) to manage federal lands, promoting balanced multiple-use policies without favoring one interest over others.
• Political: Encourages bipartisan collaboration on public lands (introduced by representatives from Utah and Colorado, states with significant federal lands), potentially reducing disputes by mandating diverse board representation; however, the fixed funding could spark debates over long-term fiscal commitments if not extended beyond five years.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1]

Cosponsors (8)

Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2], Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6], Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2], Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-17: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
• 2025-06-17: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-17: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Foundation for America’s Public Lands Reauthorization Act — issued 2025-06-17 — PDF (6 pages)