To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8686
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-10: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-06T22:06:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill amends the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw (remove from public sale, mining, or leasing) and reserve (set aside) approximately 22,032 acres of federal public land near Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona exclusively for U.S. Army military testing and training purposes, enhancing military readiness and security.
Key Provisions
- Land Description:
- ~21,783 acres along Highway 95 (excluding ~800 acres of subsurface rights owned by Arizona).
- ~249 acres at Howard Cantonment.
- Lands are depicted on specific maps dated March 12, 2025.
- Withdrawal Restrictions: Prohibits entry, sale, mining claims, mineral/geothermal leasing under public land laws (subject to existing rights).
- Management:
- Secretary of the Interior (via Bureau of Land Management) initially manages land under federal land laws, allowing limited activities like wildlife conservation, cultural preservation, recreation, hunting, and fire control.
- Non-military uses require joint approval from Interior and Army Secretaries to avoid interfering with defense needs.
- Interior handles leases/rights-of-way crossing withdrawn and adjacent lands, but Army consent and conditions are required.
- Interior may assign full management to Secretary of the Army.
- Utility Exception: Allows Interior to issue rights-of-way for critical regional utility infrastructure (e.g., transmission lines) in the designated Parker-Blaisdell Utility Corridor without Army consent, but with conditions to minimize military impacts (authority non-delegable below BLM State Director).
- Duration: Indefinite, or until Army determines no longer needed for military purposes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds new Subtitle H to the 2013 Act, specifically targeting Yuma Proving Ground lands.
- Builds on prior Public Land Order No. 848 (1952) and section 2914 of the 2013 Act by expanding withdrawal to new areas while codifying management rules, utility exceptions, and indefinite duration.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Shifts management priorities toward Army needs; enhances coordination between Interior (BLM) and Army; streamlines utility projects but limits other development.
- Citizens: Restricts public access, mining, and leasing on ~22,000 acres, potentially reducing recreational opportunities while preserving some hunting/public access under restrictions.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Army (primary beneficiary for military testing).
- Secretary of the Interior/Bureau of Land Management (initial manager, issuer of authorizations).
- State of Arizona (retains subsurface rights on ~800 acres).
- Local communities/utilities (impacted access along Highway 95; benefits from utility corridor provision).
- Public/mining interests (lose development opportunities).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces federal authority over public lands for national defense (consistent with property clause in U.S. Constitution, Art. IV, Sec. 3); balances military primacy with limited environmental/recreational protections under Federal Land Policy and Management Act.
- No major constitutional challenges evident; upholds "valid existing rights."
- Political: Supports military expansion in Arizona amid readiness concerns; referred to House Natural Resources and Armed Services Committees for bipartisan review.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-10: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-06-10: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-06-10: Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
- 2026-05-21: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 2026-05-12: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
- 2026-05-07: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-07: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-07: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-07: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. — issued 2026-05-07 — PDF (8 pages)