Monuments Protection Act
Monuments Protection Act
This bill directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture (USDA) to enter into an agreement with a state, the District of Columbia, a federally recognized Indian tribe, a U.S. territory or possession, or a political subdivision that offers to assume activities to resume or continue operations and public access to any covered unit when those activities would not otherwise be carried out: (1) because there is a lapse in available federal funds as a result of a failure to enact appropriations, or (2) because of a failure of the federal government to make sufficient funds available to operate such unit.
The bill defines a "covered unit" to mean:
- public lands;
- units of the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the National Forest System;
- federally owned open air monuments and memorials; and
- federally owned roads and off ramps on all such lands.
The bill requires Interior and USDA to reimburse an entity for such activities once funds are made available.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.