Text of Senate Amendment 6002

On 2026-06-23, Senator Michael F. Bennet (D-CO) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6002" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6002

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3125-S3133] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6002. Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end, add the following: DIVISION E--COLORADO OUTDOOR RECREATION AND ECONOMY ACT SEC. 5001. SHORT TITLE. This division may be cited as the ``Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act''. SEC. 5002. DEFINITION OF STATE. In this division, the term ``State'' means the State of Colorado. TITLE I--CONTINENTAL DIVIDE SEC. 5101. DEFINITIONS. In this title: (1) Covered area.--The term ``covered area'' means any area designated as wilderness by the amendments to section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 103-77) made by section 5102(a). (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Agriculture. (3) Wildlife conservation area.--The term ``Wildlife Conservation Area'' means, as applicable-- (A) the Porcupine Gulch Wildlife Conservation Area designated by section 5104(a); (B) the Williams Fork Mountains Wildlife Conservation Area designated by section 5105(a); and (C) the Spraddle Creek Wildlife Conservation Area designated by section 5106(a). SEC. 5102. COLORADO WILDERNESS ADDITIONS. (a) Designation.--Section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 103-77) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (18), by striking ``1993,'' and inserting ``1993, and certain Federal land within the White River National Forest that comprises approximately 6,896 acres, as generally depicted as `Proposed Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness Additions' on the map entitled `Proposed Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness Additions' and dated June 24, 2019,''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(23) Holy cross wilderness addition.--Certain Federal land within the White River National Forest that comprises approximately 3,866 acres, as generally depicted as `Proposed Megan Dickie Wilderness Addition' on the map entitled `Holy Cross Wilderness Addition Proposal' and dated June 24, 2019, which shall be incorporated into, and managed as part of, the Holy Cross Wilderness designated by section 102(a)(5) of Public Law 96-560 (94 Stat. 3266). ``(24) Hoosier ridge wilderness.--Certain Federal land within the White River National Forest that comprises approximately 5,235 acres, as generally depicted as `Proposed Hoosier Ridge Wilderness' on the map entitled `Tenmile Proposal' and dated May 1, 2023, which shall be known as the `Hoosier Ridge Wilderness'. ``(25) Tenmile wilderness.--Certain Federal land within the White River National Forest that comprises approximately 7,624 acres, as generally depicted as `Proposed Tenmile Wilderness' on the map entitled `Tenmile Proposal' and dated May 1, 2023, which shall be known as the `Tenmile Wilderness'. ``(26) Eagles nest wilderness additions.--Certain Federal land within the White River National Forest that comprises approximately 7,634 acres, as generally depicted as `Proposed Freeman Creek Wilderness Addition' and `Proposed Spraddle Creek Wilderness Addition' on the map entitled `Eagles Nest Wilderness Additions Proposal' and dated April 26, 2022, which shall be incorporated into, and managed as part of, the Eagles Nest Wilderness designated by Public Law 94-352 (90 Stat. 870).''. (b) Applicable Law.--Any reference in the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) to the effective date of that Act shall be considered to be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act for purposes of administering a covered area. (c) Fire, Insects, and Diseases.--In accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)), the Secretary may carry out any activity in a covered area that the Secretary determines to be necessary for the control of fire, insects, and diseases, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (d) Grazing.--The grazing of livestock on a covered area, if established before the date of enactment of this Act, shall be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable regulations as are considered to be necessary by the Secretary, in accordance with-- (1) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)); and (2) the guidelines set forth in the report of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives accompanying H.R. 5487 of the 96th Congress (H. Rept. 96-617). (e) Coordination.--For purposes of administering the Federal land designated as wilderness by paragraph (26) of section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 103-77) (as added by subsection (a)(2)), the Secretary shall, as determined to be appropriate for the protection of watersheds, coordinate the activities of the Secretary in response to fires and flooding events with interested State and local agencies. SEC. 5103. WILLIAMS FORK MOUNTAINS POTENTIAL WILDERNESS. (a) Designation.--In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), certain Federal land in the White River National Forest in the State, comprising approximately 8,036 acres, as generally depicted as ``Proposed Williams Fork Mountains Wilderness'' on the map entitled ``Williams Fork Mountains Proposal'' and dated June 24, 2019, is designated as a potential wilderness area. (b) Management.--Subject to valid existing rights and except as provided in subsection (d), the potential wilderness area designated by subsection (a) shall be managed in accordance with-- (1) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and (2) this section. (c) Livestock Use of Vacant Allotments.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, in accordance with applicable laws (including regulations), the Secretary shall publish a determination regarding whether to authorize livestock grazing or other use by livestock on the vacant allotments known as-- (A) the ``Big Hole Allotment''; and (B) the ``Blue Ridge Allotment''. (2) Modification of allotments.--In publishing a determination pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary may modify or combine the vacant allotments referred to in that paragraph. (3) Permit or other authorization.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which a determination of the Secretary to authorize livestock grazing or other use by livestock is published under paragraph (1), if applicable, the Secretary shall grant a permit or other authorization for that livestock grazing or other use in accordance with applicable laws (including regulations). (d) Range Improvements.-- [[Page S3126]] (1) In general.--If the Secretary permits livestock grazing or other use by livestock on the potential wilderness area under subsection (c), the Secretary, or a third party authorized by the Secretary, may use motorized or mechanized transport or equipment for purposes of constructing or rehabilitating such range improvements as are necessary to obtain appropriate livestock management objectives (including habitat and watershed restoration). (2) Termination of authority.--The authority provided by this subsection terminates on the date that is 2 years after the date on which the Secretary publishes a positive determination under subsection (c)(3). (e) Designation as Wilderness.-- (1) Designation.--The potential wilderness area designated by subsection (a) shall be designated as wilderness, to be known as the ``Williams Fork Mountains Wilderness''-- (A) effective not earlier than the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment this Act; and (B) on the earliest of-- (i) the date on which the Secretary publishes in the Federal Register a notice that the construction or rehabilitation of range improvements under subsection (d) is complete; (ii) the date described in subsection (d)(2); and (iii) the effective date of a determination of the Secretary not to authorize livestock grazing or other use by livestock under subsection (c)(1). (2) Administration.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary shall manage the Williams Fork Mountains Wilderness in accordance with the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 103-77), except that any reference in that Act to the effective date of that Act shall be considered to be a reference to the date on which the Williams Fork Mountains Wilderness is designated in accordance with paragraph (1). SEC. 5104. PORCUPINE GULCH WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AREA. (a) Designation.--Subject to valid existing rights, the approximately 8,287 acres of Federal land located in the White River National Forest, as generally depicted as ``Proposed Porcupine Gulch Wildlife Conservation Area'' on the map entitled ``Porcupine Gulch Wildlife Conservation Area Proposal'' and dated June 24, 2019, are designated as the ``Porcupine Gulch Wildlife Conservation Area'' (referred to in this section as the ``Wildlife Conservation Area''). (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Wildlife Conservation Area are-- (1) to conserve and protect a wildlife migration corridor over Interstate 70; and (2) to conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the wildlife, scenic, roadless, watershed, and ecological resources of the Wildlife Conservation Area. (c) Management.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary shall manage the Wildlife Conservation Area-- (A) in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances the purposes described in subsection (b); and (B) in accordance with

Referenced legislation: HR5487, HR2570, HR5487