S. 3997Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Land Between the Lakes Recreation and Heritage Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 10:35 AM UTC

The Land Between the Lakes Recreation and Heritage Act updates the 1998 protection law to better manage the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It defines who counts as a “qualified resident or relative,” makes the area a separate unit of the National Forest System, and changes how the advisory board operates. The bill also sets fee rules, directs how the management fund can be spent, allows limited cemetery expansions, and adds historic‑resource protections, while earmarking at least $8 million‑$15 million each year for administration.

Key Provisions

Adds a definition of “qualified resident or relative” – former residents, their spouses, widows/widowers, or descendants of those buried in the area’s cemeteries.
Designates the recreation area as a distinct unit of the National Forest System under the Secretary of Agriculture.
Revises the advisory board: members cannot serve consecutive terms, must advise and partner with the Secretary, and must produce annual recreation, education, forest‑management, and fund‑status plans; meeting minutes must be posted online.
Requires the board to charge reasonable fees, consulted with the board and consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.
Specifies that the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund can be used for construction, improvement, or maintenance without further appropriation, but not for salaries or other expenses.
Allows the Secretary to grant small land additions for cemetery expansion to qualified residents or relatives, with requesters covering fence‑moving costs.
Mandates identification and management of historic resources in coordination with qualified residents or relatives, and requires consideration of their requests to preserve cultural sites.
Sets a minimum annual appropriation (at least $8 million, up to $15 million) for administering the recreation area and outlines permissible uses of those funds.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 553.

November 17, 2022

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 5, 2022

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S1982-1983)

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

April 5, 2022

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.

Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee

June 7, 2022

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 21, 2022

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-202.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

November 17, 2022

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 553.

November 17, 2022

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3997 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Apr 5, 2022

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Apr 5, 2022

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued November 17, 2022

Calendar No. 553

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3997

[Report No. 117–202]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 5, 2022

Mr. McConnell (for himself, Mr. Hagerty, and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

November 17, 2022

Reported by Mr. Manchin, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

A BILL

To amend the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 to clarify the administration of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Land Between the Lakes Recreation and Heritage Act or the LBL Recreation and Heritage Act.

Administration of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

(a)

Definitions

Section 502 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (5)(B)—

(A)

in clause (viii), by striking and after the semicolon at the end;

(B)

in clause (ix), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(x)

division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (formerly known as the National Historic Preservation Act).

;

(2)

by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (15) as paragraphs (12) through (16), respectively; and

(3)

by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:

(11)

Qualified resident or relative

The term qualified resident or relative means—

(A)

a former resident of the area within the Recreation Area or the spouse of a former resident of that area; or

(B)

a widow, widower, or lineal descendant of an individual buried in a cemetery located in the Recreation Area.

(b)

Establishment

Section 511(b) of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–11(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

(3)

Status of unit

The Secretary shall administer the Recreation Area as a separate unit of the National Forest System.

(c)

Advisory board

Section 522 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–22) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 17 and inserting 13;

(B)

by striking paragraphs (4) and (5);

(C)

in paragraph (3), by adding and after the semicolon at the end; and

(D)

by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (4);

(2)

in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

(2)

Nonconsecutive terms

Members of the Advisory Board may serve multiple terms, but may not serve consecutive terms.

;

(3)

in subsection (f)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking may advise and inserting shall advise and partner with;

(B)

in paragraph (1), by striking and after the semicolon at the end;

(C)

in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

developing an annual work plan for recreation and environment education areas in the Recreation Area, including the heritage program, with the nonappropriated amounts in the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund;

(4)

developing an annual forest management and harvest plan for the Recreation Area; and

(5)

the balance and status of the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund.

; and

(4)

in subsection (g)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by striking biannually and inserting twice each year;

(B)

in paragraph (3), by inserting , on a public website of the Department of Agriculture, before and by; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(4)

Minutes

The chairperson of the Advisory Board shall publish the minutes of each meeting of the Advisory Board on a public website of the Department of Agriculture.

(d)

Fees

Section 523(a) of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–23(a)) is amended by striking may charge reasonable fees and inserting shall charge reasonable fees, as determined by the Advisory Board,.

(e)

Disposition of receipts

Section 524 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–24) is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

(b)

Use

Amounts in the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund—

(1)

shall be available to the Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, to perform new work or deferred maintenance in the Recreation Area; and

(2)

shall not be available for the payment of salaries or other expenses.

(f)

Cooperative authorities and gifts

Section 526 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–26) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Memoranda of understanding

The Secretary is encouraged, for purposes of carrying out this Act—

(1)

to enter into memoranda of understanding with State or local government entities, including law enforcement, as appropriate, to clarify jurisdictional matters, such as road management, policing, and other functions that are typically performed by the entity on non-Federal land; and

(2)

to make available on a public website of the Department of Agriculture any memoranda of understanding entered into under paragraph (1).

(g)

Cemeteries

Section 528 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–28) is amended—

(1)

by striking The Secretary and inserting the following:

(a)

In general

The Secretary

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(b)

Land for plots for qualified residents or relatives

(1)

Requests

The Secretary, on request from a qualified resident or relative or a cemetery association, shall grant additional land for the expansion of existing cemeteries within the Recreation Area to allow for the burial of qualified residents or relatives.

(2)

Expenses

Any expenses required to move border fences or markers due to an expansion under paragraph (1) shall be the responsibility of the person making the request under that paragraph.

(h)

Resource management

Section 529 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–29) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Historical resources

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall identify and manage the historical resources of the Recreation Area—

(A)

in accordance with the requirements of division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (formerly known as the National Historic Preservation Act); and

(B)

in coordination with qualified residents or relatives.

(2)

Consideration

The Secretary shall—

(A)

give consideration to requests by qualified residents or relatives to use and maintain traditional sites, buildings, cemeteries, and other areas of cultural importance in the Recreation Area; and

(B)

work cooperatively with qualified residents or relatives in the management of the historical resources of the Recreation Area.

(i)

Authorization of appropriations

Section 551 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–61) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(d)

Minimum expenditure

Subject to the availability of appropriations under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make available not less than $8,000,000 each fiscal year for the purposes of administering the Recreation Area (not including salaries and expenses).

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Land Between the Lakes Recreation and Heritage Act.

Administration of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

(a)

Definitions

Section 502 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (15) as paragraphs (12) through (16), respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:

(11)

Qualified resident or relative

The term qualified resident or relative means—

(A)

a former resident of the area within the Recreation Area or the spouse of a former resident of that area; or

(B)

a widow, widower, or lineal descendant of an individual buried in a cemetery located in the Recreation Area.

(b)

Establishment

Section 511(b) of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–11(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

(3)

Status of unit

The Secretary shall administer the Recreation Area as a separate unit of the National Forest System.

(c)

Advisory board

Section 522 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–22) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 17 and inserting 13;

(B)

by striking paragraphs (4) and (5);

(C)

in paragraph (3), by adding and after the semicolon at the end; and

(D)

by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (4);

(2)

in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

(2)

Nonconsecutive terms

Members of the Advisory Board may serve multiple terms, but may not serve consecutive terms.

;

(3)

in subsection (f)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking may advise and inserting shall advise;

(B)

in paragraph (1), by striking and after the semicolon at the end;

(C)

in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

an annual work plan for recreation and environment education areas in the Recreation Area, including the heritage program, with the nonappropriated amounts in the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund;

(4)

an annual forest management and harvest plan for the Recreation Area; and

(5)

the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund.

; and

(4)

in subsection (g)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by striking biannually and inserting twice each year;

(B)

in paragraph (3), by inserting , on a public website of the Department of Agriculture, before and by; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(4)

Minutes

The Secretary shall publish the minutes of each meeting of the Advisory Board on a public website of the Department of Agriculture.

(d)

Fees

(e)

Disposition of receipts

Section 524 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 460lll–24) is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

(b)

Use

Amounts in the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund shall be available to the Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, for construction, improvement, or maintenance in the Recreation Area.

(c)

Restriction on use of fund

Except as provided in subsection (b), amounts in the Land Between the Lakes Management Fund shall not be used for management of the Recreation Area, including salaries and expenses.

(f)

Cooperative authorities and gifts

Section 526 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–26) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Memoranda of understanding

The Secretary may, for purposes of carrying out this Act—

(1)

enter into memoranda of understanding with State or local government entities, including law enforcement, as appropriate, to clarify jurisdictional matters, such as road management, policing, and other functions that are typically performed by the entity on non-Federal land; and

(2)

make available on a public website of the Department of Agriculture any memoranda of understanding entered into under paragraph (1).

(g)

Cemeteries

Section 528 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–28) is amended—

(1)

by striking The Secretary and inserting the following:

(a)

In general

The Secretary

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(b)

Land for plots for qualified residents or relatives

(1)

Requests

The Secretary, on request from a qualified resident or relative or a cemetery association, shall grant additional land for the minor expansion of existing cemeteries within the Recreation Area, to the extent necessary, to allow for the burial of qualified residents or relatives.

(2)

Expenses

Any expenses required to move border fences or markers due to an expansion under paragraph (1) shall be the responsibility of the person making the request under that paragraph.

(h)

Resource management

Section 529 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–29) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Historical resources

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall identify and manage the historical resources of the Recreation Area—

(A)

in accordance with the requirements of division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (formerly known as the National Historic Preservation Act); and

(B)

in consultation with qualified residents or relatives.

(2)

Consideration

The Secretary shall—

(A)

in accordance with applicable law, give consideration to requests by qualified residents or relatives to use and maintain traditional sites, buildings, cemeteries, and other areas of cultural importance in the Recreation Area; and

(B)

consult with qualified residents or relatives in the management of the historical resources of the Recreation Area.

(i)

Authorization of appropriations

Section 551 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.460lll–61) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(i)

by striking are and inserting is; and

(ii)

by striking such sums as are necessary and inserting not to exceed $15,000,000 for each fiscal year; and

(B)

in paragraph (2), by striking Recreation Area area and inserting Recreation Area; and

(2)

by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

(c)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Agriculture may expend amounts appropriated to carry out this title in a manner consistent with the authorities exercised by the Tennessee Valley Authority before the transfer of the Recreation Area to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture, including campground management and visitor services, paid advertisement, and procurement of food and supplies for resale purposes.

(2)

Exception

The Secretary of Agriculture shall not use amounts appropriated to carry out this title for an activity described in section 524(b).

November 17, 2022

Reported with an amendment