Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 183) to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for a lifetime National Recreational Pass for law enforcement officers, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 183, the bill now under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 183, the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreational Pass Act, led by my friend and colleague on the Natural Resources Committee Representative McClintock.

This legislation helps recognize the selfless service of Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement officers and firefighters with a well-deserved benefit: free annual access to national parks, forests, and other public lands managed by the Federal Government.

This meaningful legislation will ensure that the men and women who risk their lives to protect our communities can enjoy free access to our Nation's most treasured public lands.

Law enforcement officers and firefighters also play a critical role in protecting our public lands by responding to wildland fires, conducting search and rescue operations, responding to criminal activity, and preventing vandalism and resource destruction.

For example, just over 1 year ago, on a busy Fourth of July weekend, Yellowstone National Park law enforcement officers neutralized a potential shooter headed toward a busy dining area in one of the most popular areas of the park. Their selfless actions and heroism saved countless lives, ensuring that this day of celebration did not turn into a day of tragedy.

Whether it is a local sheriff in Minnesota, a wildland firefighter in California, or a Tribal police officer in Missouri, our law enforcement officers and firefighters dedicate themselves to the safety and well- being of others, often under incredibly difficult and dangerous circumstances. This legislation gives something back to those who give so much.

This bill also promotes the use of public lands for recreation, health, and family time, particularly among those who may face long hours, stressful shifts, and dangerous conditions. Outdoor recreation is good for both mental and physical well-being, and this bill ensures that our first responders can take full advantage of America's natural beauty.

I commend Representative McClintock for his leadership on this bill and his continued work to expand outdoor access for the American people.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, pro- recreation, pro-first-responder legislation. Let's honor those who serve by giving them the opportunity to enjoy the lands that they help protect.

Madam Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC, July 9, 2025.

Hon. Bruce Westerman,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter confirms our mutual

understanding regarding H.R. 183, the ``Law Enforcement

Officer Recreation Pass Act.'' Thank you for collaborating

with the Committee on Agriculture on the matters within our

jurisdiction.

The Committee on Agriculture will forego any further

consideration of this bill. However, by foregoing

consideration at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction

over any subject matter contained in this or similar

legislation. The Committee on Agriculture also reserves the

right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of

conferees, should it become necessary, and ask that you

support such a request.

We would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 183 and request a

copy of our letters on this matter be published in the

Congressional Record during Floor consideration.

Sincerely,

Glenn ``GT'' Thompson,

Chairman.

Madam Speaker, I will make a comment that the Republican Party will always defend the police, not defund them.

Madam Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying that 2 weeks ago, in the One Big Beautiful Bill, there were 18,000 law enforcement officers that were to be hired. Not one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle voted for it.

Mr. Speaker, ahead of our Nation's 250th anniversary next year, this bill ensures meaningful access to our national parks and public lands and recognizes the immense service and sacrifice of our Nation's law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 183 would amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide free America the Beautiful passes to law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Expanding outdoor recreation and ensuring Americans can access and enjoy our public lands is a shared bipartisan priority on the Natural Resources Committee. Currently, the National Park Service offers free national park and Federal recreation land passes to certain groups, including U.S. military members and veterans. This legislation builds on this framework by waiving entrance, standard amenity, and day-use fees at over 2,000 Federal recreation sites for law enforcement officers and firefighters.

These hardworking Americans put their lives on the line to protect and serve our communities every day. An America the Beautiful pass is a small but hopefully meaningful token of appreciation for their public service.

Furthermore, let me say that I am glad to see my Republican colleagues acknowledging the importance of our public servants, and I hope they will join us, in the spirit of this legislation, to do more to support and protect all of our Federal first responders.

These public servants dedicate their lives to serving the American people. The administration has created chaos and confusion that adds to the difficulty of their jobs through Federal hiring freezes, which have left them short-staffed.

In addition to showing our appreciation for these critical public servants and first responders, I hope my colleagues will work with us to make sure that our Federal workers have the tools that they need to do their jobs, to keep us safe, and to also keep our public lands open and operating and in the hands of we the people.

For too many of our public lands and parks, after Federal employees have been fired, let go, or pushed toward retirement, private entities are managing these parks, so the America the Beautiful pass is not able to allow free access to these public servants and people who have put their lives on the line to protect and serve our country.

Madam Speaker, I would love to work with everyone on that, as well. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleagues that we should defend the police and firefighters. I come from a family of police and firefighters who put their lives on the line every day when they went to work. I will happily work with my Republican colleagues to defend police and firefighters and make sure not to defund them by protecting their public pensions, collective bargaining rights, cancer prevention, training grants, and grants to our local police departments that are now being frozen, putting us in limbo.

This is a very real issue that I know I can work with my Republican colleagues on to make sure that our public lands are not being operated by private entities that refuse to recognize the benefits provided for in this law. This is happening across the country, and in my district, I know specifically, where they refuse to grant free entry for veterans and military personnel. They say that they don't have to because they are a private entity.

I would love to make sure that whoever is operating our public parks is keeping them public and that these people who earned our trust and earned this benefit and every benefit that we can give them are actually able to get that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, as has been noted, H.R. 183 simply extends the lifetime national parks pass to the frontline public safety officers who risk their lives every day to protect our families and communities. It is the same courtesy we already extend to U.S. military members and their families, to our veterans, and to our Gold Star families. The CBO estimates its cost at about $500,000 a year.

These men and women, just like those who serve our military, put their lives on the line to protect our families. It seems fitting that we should extend this small courtesy to them. It is simply a way to say thank you to them, a simple but tangible token of our gratitude and esteem.

I first introduced this legislation during the George Floyd riots, when BLM rioters were chanting: ``Pigs in a blanket, fry `em like bacon,'' and leftist politicians were calling for defunding local police departments. We recently expanded it to include firefighters and wildland firefighters, to whom we owe so much for protecting our homes, towns, and communities, as well.

The bill was proposed to me by Janine D'Agostini, the wife of then-El Dorado County Sheriff John D'Agostini, as a small token of appreciation for law enforcement officers who were taking so much abuse when they were trying so hard to protect our families from those who would prey upon them.

Madam Speaker, it seems that, in those years, the wheel has come full circle. Once again, law enforcement personnel are the target of doxing, violent demonstrations, and leftist officials who so often seem to take the side of the lawless against the law-abiding.

Our hearts go out to the many officers of ICE and CBP and their families who have recently been subjected to violence and intimidation, often fanned by the extremist rhetoric of elected officials who ought to know better.

In fact, just 2 weeks ago, while ICE was serving a court-ordered warrant in Carpinteria, a sitting Member of this House doxed an ICE agent to a violent mob. That mob then took off after the agent and physically attacked him with rocks, injuring him seriously enough to require treatment in a hospital emergency room.

This has to stop. We want these brave men and women and their families to know that the vast majority of the American people, the majority of this Congress, and, of course, this President stand behind them, appreciate them, and honor their work. We depend upon them not only for our safety but for the very rule of law itself.

After all, without law enforcement, there is no law. Without law, there is no civilization, as people in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York are learning all too well once again.

This bill was first introduced in 2021. It received a hearing in 2023 but was never marked up. It is long overdue, and I appreciate the House finally considering it today.