Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025
Summary
The Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025 extends military land withdrawals in Alaska, New Mexico, and California for 25 years, until 2051. It also corrects land descriptions for McGregor Range and Fort Irwin military lands. The bill was reported from the House Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment and the Committee on Armed Services was discharged.
Expected Effects
This act ensures continued military access to specific public lands for training and other purposes. It also updates land descriptions to reflect accurate acreage and mapping data. This could impact land use, environmental considerations, and local communities near these military installations.
Potential Benefits
- Ensures continued military readiness by providing access to necessary training lands.
- Corrects inaccuracies in land descriptions, potentially improving land management.
- May lead to increased investment in and around military bases.
- Could enhance national security by supporting military training activities.
- Provides long-term certainty for military land use planning.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Restricts public access to withdrawn lands, impacting recreational opportunities.
- Potential environmental impacts from military activities on these lands.
- Possible displacement of local communities or disruption of traditional land uses.
- May limit economic development opportunities unrelated to the military.
- Could face opposition from environmental groups and local stakeholders.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The Act aligns with the constitutional mandate to "provide for the common defence" (Preamble). Congress has the power to regulate federal lands under Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2, the Property Clause. The Act does not appear to infringe on individual rights or liberties protected by the Bill of Rights.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).