North Rim Restoration Act

Bill Number

H.R. 5729

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Passed House

Latest Action

2026-03-17: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T23:26:42Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The North Rim Restoration Act (H.R. 5729) aims to provide the National Park Service (NPS) with special emergency powers to quickly hire contractors and manage recovery efforts in Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim areas damaged by the Dragon Bravo Fire. This helps speed up clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvements without waiting for a formal presidential disaster declaration.

Key Provisions

• Definitions:
• Covered area: Parts of Grand Canyon National Park affected by the Dragon Bravo Fire.
• Secretary: The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the NPS Director.

• Emergency Contracting Authority (Section 3):
• Allows the Secretary to use simplified and higher-threshold purchasing rules (from federal regulations, like part 18 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations) for contracts related to:
• Forest management and restoration after the fire.
• Rebuilding, planning, design, and development of damaged structures.
• Ground and structure improvements.
• Overall recovery efforts.
• These flexibilities apply only to fire-related services; other contracts follow standard rules.
• Requires the Secretary to submit reports to congressional committees (e.g., House Natural Resources and Senate Energy and Natural Resources) every 180 days, covering costs, contractors, conflicts of interest, waste/fraud, timelines, and extension needs.
• Authority can be extended by 12 months with congressional approval if a new fire disrupts recovery.
• Expires after 7 years or when recovery is complete, whichever comes first.

• Limited Sole-Source Procurement Authority (Section 4):
• Permits noncompetitive (sole-source) contracts for planning, repairing, building, or operating key assets in the North Rim, including:
• Employee housing and utilities (water, power, communications).
• Visitor facilities (lodging, food service, retail, transportation).
• Maintenance and administrative buildings needed for safe operations.
• Allowed only if the Secretary determines in writing that the current concessioner (a private operator with an existing park contract) is best suited due to their on-site role, access, or need for quick service continuity to protect public safety and park resources.
• Expires after 7 years.
• These contracts are separate from existing concession agreements and do not change their terms or benefits.
• Does not override laws requiring competition for new concessions; the Secretary can still choose competitive bidding if better for the government.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Bypasses the need for a presidential emergency or disaster declaration to access fast-track contracting rules, which normally require such approvals for federal emergencies.
• Waives standard competitive bidding requirements under federal procurement laws (e.g., chapter 33 of title 41, United States Code) for specific recovery work, allowing sole-source deals with the existing North Rim concessioner under narrow conditions.
• Introduces mandatory reporting and congressional oversight for spending and extensions, adding accountability not typically required in standard emergency flexibilities.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Speeds up NPS recovery operations by reducing bureaucratic delays, but increases administrative burden through detailed reporting to Congress. Could set a precedent for similar fire recoveries in other parks.
• On Citizens: Enables quicker reopening of the North Rim for visitors, improving access to tourism, recreation, and jobs in the area. May reduce long-term environmental damage from the fire through faster restoration.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic park management.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• National Park Service (NPS) and Department of the Interior: Gains tools for efficient recovery but must comply with reporting.
• Current North Rim Concessioner: Potentially benefits from sole-source contracts, leveraging their existing role.
• Contractors and Vendors: Easier access to emergency work, though limited to fire-related services.
• Congressional Committees: House Natural Resources and Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Energy and Natural Resources and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs—receive oversight reports.
• Park Visitors and Local Communities: Affected by faster restoration, supporting tourism and economic activity near Grand Canyon.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Temporarily suspends parts of federal procurement laws to prioritize speed over competition, potentially reducing risks of legal challenges from non-selected bidders if determinations are well-documented. Emphasizes separation between recovery contracts and concession laws to avoid altering private operator rights.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority under Article IV to manage federal lands, delegating flexibility to the executive branch while retaining oversight through reports and approval for extensions—balancing efficiency with checks and balances.
• Political: Responds to a specific wildfire event, promoting bipartisan support for park protection; however, reporting on waste, fraud, and conflicts could invite scrutiny or future audits, influencing debates on emergency powers for natural disasters.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Crane, Elijah [R-AZ-2]

Cosponsors (7)

Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5], Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1], Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7], Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8], Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-17: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
• 2026-03-16: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
• 2026-03-16: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2521)
• 2026-03-16: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2521)
• 2026-03-16: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5729.
• 2026-03-16: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2521-2523)
• 2026-03-16: Mr. Wittman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• 2026-03-02: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 462.
• 2026-03-02: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-537.
• 2026-03-02: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-537.
• 2026-01-22: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
• 2026-01-22: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2026-01-22: Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
• 2025-12-11: Subcommittee Hearings Held
• 2025-12-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Bill Versions

• North Rim Restoration Act — issued 2026-03-16 — PDF (8 pages)
• North Rim Restoration Act of 2025 — issued 2025-10-10 — PDF (4 pages)
• North Rim Restoration Act — issued 2026-03-17 — PDF (7 pages)
• North Rim Restoration Act — issued 2026-03-02 — PDF (10 pages)