Bill Details
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This bill would continue a federal program that pays landowners, states, and tribal governments to allow public access to private land for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation, while also supporting wildlife habitat. It would give the program new funding for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 and set aside a small share to help increase access to land under wetland reserve easements.
- The bill provides $150 million in mandatory funding over fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
- Most of the money would go through the Commodity Credit Corporation to support the program.
- Up to $3 million would be used to encourage public access to land covered by wetland reserve easements.
- That access effort would be carried out through agreements with states and tribal governments.
Official Summaries
Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2025
This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and increases funding for the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). This Natural Resources Conservation Service program provides state and tribal governments competitive grants to encourage owners and operators of privately-held land (i.e., farm, ranch, and forest land) to allow public access for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-dependent recreation.
The bill also reauthorizes through FY2029 VPA-HIP funding to encourage public access to land covered by wetland reserve easements through agreements with states and tribal governments.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 704 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 704
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to reauthorize the voluntary
public access and habitat incentive program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 25, 2025
Mr. Daines (for himself, Mr. Bennet, and Mr. Marshall) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to reauthorize the voluntary
public access and habitat incentive program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Voluntary Public Access Improvement
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY PUBLIC ACCESS AND HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
Section 1240R of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-5)
is amended by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following:
``(f) Funding.--
``(1) Mandatory funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this
section $150,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2025
through 2029.
``(2) Enhanced public access to wetland reserve
easements.--To the maximum extent practicable, of the funds
made available under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use
$3,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to
encourage public access to land covered by wetland reserve
easements under section 1265C through agreements with States
and tribal governments under this section.''.
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