TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

On 2026-09-14, Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA-5) delivered a floor speech titled "TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA" in the House.

TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5567-H5568] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8454) to provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of California, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8454 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. (a) Transfer of Administrative Jurisdiction.-- (1) National forest system land.--Administrative jurisdiction over the approximately 160 acres of National Forest System land more particularly described as T.1 S., R.19 E., sec. 24, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, NE\1/ 4\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, Mount Diablo Meridian, Tuolumne County, California, as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Ackerson Meadow Land Interchange'' and dated February 24, 2022, is transferred to the Secretary of the Interior to be managed as part of Yosemite National Park, in accordance with laws applicable to the National Park System. (2) National park system land.--Administrative jurisdiction over the approximately 170 acres of National Park System land more particularly described as the SE\1/4\ of sec. 23 and the land to the north and west of Road 1S25 within the NW\1/ 4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ of sec. 24, T.1 S., R. 19 E., Mount Diablo Meridian, Tuolumne County, California, as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Ackerson Meadow Land Interchange'' and dated February 24, 2022, is transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture to be managed as part of Stanislaus National Forest in accordance with laws applicable to the National Forest System. (b) Corrections.-- (1) Minor adjustments.--The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior may, by mutual agreement, make minor corrections and adjustments to the Federal land transferred under subsection (a) to facilitate land management, including making a correction or adjustment to any applicable survey. (2) Publications.--Any correction or adjustment made under paragraph (1) shall be effective on the date of publication of a notice of the correction or adjustment in the Federal Register. (c) Effect on Existing Rights and Authorizations.--Nothing in this section affects-- (1) any valid existing rights; or (2) the validity or terms and conditions of any existing withdrawal, right-of-way, easement, lease, license, or permit on the land to which administrative jurisdiction is transferred under this section, except that beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the head of the agency to which administrative jurisdiction over the land is transferred shall be responsible for administering the interests or authorizations in accordance with applicable law. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. General Leave Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8454, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas? There was no objection. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8454, introduced by Representative McClintock, which executes a commonsense boundary adjustment between Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest in California. Ackerson Meadow supports important wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and livestock grazing by the Erickson family, whose ranching history in the area dates to the late 1800s. A portion of Ackerson Meadow was officially donated and added to Yosemite National Park in 2016, but this inadvertently created a boundary that left parcels within the meadow under the administrative jurisdiction of two different Federal agencies. As a result, the National Park Service and Forest Service manage adjoining parcels within the same meadow, complicating restoration work, grazing operations, and recreational management. H.R. 8454 provides a straightforward solution. The bill transfers administrative jurisdiction over approximately 160 acres of land currently managed by the Forest Service to the National Park Service to be managed as part of Yosemite National Park. {time} 1620 In return, the Forest Service will assume jurisdiction over 170 acres of land currently managed by the National Park Service. This is not a Federal land acquisition, and it does not increase the size of the Federal estate. Instead, this bipartisan and bicameral legislation adjusts which Federal agency manages each parcel so map lines don't interfere with important restoration work on the ground. By placing these lands under the agency best suited to manage them, this legislation will improve coordination, support ongoing restoration work, and enhance the efficiency of grazing operations, while simplifying the management of recreation opportunities within Ackerson Meadow. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McClintock for his leadership on the legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8454, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8454 would authorize a land exchange between Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest in California. This is a straightforward exchange that will transfer 160 acres of National Forest System land to the National Park Service, and approximately 170 acres of National Park System land that will be transferred to the Forest Service. The purpose of this legislation is simply to make Federal land management more efficient. This is needed because the Service recently added a parcel known as the Ackerson Meadow to Yosemite National Park. Ackerson Meadow has significant scenic value and provides key habitats for endangered species, such as the great grey owl and the little willow flycatcher. [[Page H5568]] Adding this land to Yosemite was a win-win. However, while much of the Ackerson Meadow meets the criteria for inclusion in the National Park, it is largely surrounded by the Stanislaus National Forest, and there is a conflict with existing uses. This includes one of the longest continuously running cattle drives in California, which is inconsistent with Park Service laws and regulations. H.R. 8454 is the result of negotiation and compromise, and I thank the bill's sponsor and Chair Westerman for that work. It will result in more efficient land management and noteworthy expansion of Yosemite National Park. This is exactly the kind of work that Congress is expected to do. It stands in clear contrast to the recent proposal to sell off a piece of Yosemite to a private developer. We should be working together to increase conservation and improve the management of our public lands, not trying to cut deals and exclusive access for millionaires. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8454, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), the lead sponsor of the bill. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas and the gentlewoman from Oregon for their bipartisan support of this measure, and I want to assure the gentlewoman from Oregon that the land exchange that she had suggested in Yosemite will not happen. The Ackerson Meadow Land Interchange Act is a simple proposal to transfer administrative jurisdiction over approximately 160 acres of national forestland to Yosemite National Park, and then it would transfer approximately 170 acres of National Park System land to be a part of the Stanislaus National Forest. Senator Padilla is carrying identical legislation in the Senate. We don't agree on much, but we certainly agree on this. This legislation addresses a familiar problem in Federal land management in the Sierra Nevada, the checkerboard boundary lines that make land management disjointed and inefficient. This bill simply consolidates land jurisdictions between the National Park System and the National Forest System, without increasing the Federal footprint. At issue is Ackerson Meadow. This meadow supports livestock grazing operations that have been part of the history and economy of this region for generations. These operations are essential for brush control and fire suppression, maintaining meadow conditions, and sustaining the rural economy that depends on the productive use of these lands. Federal agencies, conservation organizations, and local ranchers have all worked together to improve the meadow while maintaining grazing opportunities. Restoration projects have improved wetland conditions, enhanced water storage, improved habitat, and supported continued public uses, including grazing. The proposed land exchange would make that cooperative approach easier by eliminating the confusion caused by split jurisdiction. Ranchers need to know where their permits apply, where infrastructure can be maintained, and who is responsible for decisions affecting their operations. The bill also protects existing rights and authorizations. It specifically provides that valid existing rights, including rights-of- way, easements, leases, licenses, and permits remain protected after the transfer. This ensures that curren

Referenced legislation: HR8454, HR8454