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H.R. 5497House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act

Sponsored by Thomas P. TiffanyRep. Thomas P. Tiffany (R-WI)
Introduced September 18, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 9:54 PM UTC

The Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act redesignates the current Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as a combined National Park and National Preserve, defining separate boundaries for each. The Secretary of the Interior will oversee the new unit, with hunting and trapping banned in the park but allowed in the preserve as before, and fishing rules unchanged. All federal references to the old lakeshore name will be treated as references to the new park and preserve, and the law ensures tribal rights are preserved.

Key Provisions

  • Redesignates the existing Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as the "Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve," creating two parts: a National Park and a National Preserve with boundaries shown on a specific map.
  • The Secretary of the Interior will manage the new park and preserve as a single National Park System unit, following existing park laws.
  • Hunting and trapping are prohibited in the National Park (except for tribal rights) but continue in the National Preserve under the same rules that applied before the bill.
  • Fishing will be administered in both the park and preserve the same way it was before the bill’s enactment.
  • All federal references to the former lakeshore name are treated as references to the new park and preserve, and the map showing the proposed boundaries must be publicly available.
  • Visitor centers must display signage about the area’s history, including Ojibwe tribal information, and a copy of the Act.
  • The bill does not affect any treaty‑based or other tribal rights to hunt, fish, trap, or gather on the lands.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 17.

Natural Resources Committee

February 11, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 18, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

September 18, 2025

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Natural Resources Committee

February 11, 2026

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 17.

Natural Resources Committee

February 11, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 18, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5497

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 18, 2025

Mr. Tiffany (for himself, Mr. Steil, Mr. Wied, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Fitzgerald, and Mr. Van Orden) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To provide for the designation of Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act.

2.

Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve

(a)

In general

(1)

Redesignation

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, established under Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w et seq.), shall be known and designated as Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve, comprised of—

(A)

Apostle Islands National Park; and

(B)

Apostle Islands National Preserve.

(2)

Apostle islands national park

(A)

Boundaries

The boundaries of Apostle Islands National Park are the boundaries of the area generally depicted as Apostle Islands National Park Proposed Boundary on the Map.

(B)

Ashland harbor breakwater light

Nothing in this Act creates a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the boundary of the property labeled Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light on the Map.

(3)

Apostle Islands national preserve

The boundaries of Apostle Islands National Preserve are the boundaries of the area generally depicted as Apostle Islands National Preserve Proposed Boundary on the Map.

(b)

Administration

(1)

In general

The Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve shall be administered by the Secretary as a single unit of the National Park System in accordance with—

(A)

this section;

(B)

the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—

(i)

sections 100101(a), 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States Code; and

(ii)

chapters 1003 and 3201 of title 54, United States Code; and

(C)

except as provided in paragraph (2), Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w et seq.).

(2)

Hunting, fishing, and trapping

(A)

Hunting and trapping

(i)

Apostle Islands National Park

Except where permitted under a treaty, statute, or executive order pertaining to a Tribe, hunting and trapping are prohibited within Apostle Islands National Park.

(ii)

Apostle Islands National Preserve

The Secretary shall administer hunting and trapping within Apostle Islands National Preserve—

(I)

in the same manner that hunting and trapping were administered on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act within the portion of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore that comprises Apostle Islands National Preserve; and

(II)

in accordance with section 5 of Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w–4) and other applicable laws.

(B)

Fishing

The Secretary shall administer fishing within the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve—

(i)

in the same manner that fishing was administered within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on the day before the date of enactment of this Act; and

(ii)

in accordance with section 5 of Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w–4) and other applicable laws.

(C)

Private land

Nothing in this section prohibits hunting, fishing, or trapping on private land in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws.

(c)

References and map

(1)

References

(A)

In general

Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore shall be deemed to be a reference to Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve.

(B)

Public law 91–424

Any reference in Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w et seq.) to the lakeshore shall be deemed to be a reference to Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve.

(2)

Map

The Map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

(d)

Interpretive features

The Secretary shall include at the principal visitor centers of the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve the following interpretive features:

(1)

Signage that describes the history of the region, including information about the Ojibwe tribes, early European settlers, fur trade, logging, stone quarries, lighthouses and commercial fishing.

(2)

A copy of this Act.

(e)

Treaty and reserved rights

Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting any rights granted, reserved, or established pursuant to treaty, statute, or executive order pertaining to any Tribe, including, but not limited to, rights to hunt, trap, fish, and gather on lands included within the boundary of Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve or any other rights asserted by any Tribe.

(f)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Map

The term Map means the map titled Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Proposed Boundaries, numbered 633/193,514, and dated October 2024.

(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.