THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK WILD HORSES PROTECTION ACT

On 2026-06-11, Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) delivered a floor speech titled "THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK WILD HORSES PROTECTION ACT" in the Senate.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK WILD HORSES PROTECTION ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 99 (Thursday, June 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 99 (Thursday, June 11, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2747-S2751] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK WILD HORSES PROTECTION ACT ______ CROSS-BOUNDARY WILDFIRE SOLUTIONS ACT Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to ask unanimous consent to pass two bills--S. 1377, my Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act and Senator Gallego's Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act. I want to thank my colleague for joining me here today and for his work on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the passage of these bills today. In the case of my bill, for generations, horses have been a living, breathing part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Their presence in the Badlands predates the establishment of the park itself and traces back to the region's early ranching heritage. Today, the horses remain one of the park's most recognizable and beloved features, enjoyed by more than 700,000 visitors annually when they come to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. But the horses are much more than just a visitor attraction; they are an important part of the historic landscape that reflects what Theodore Roosevelt himself experienced during his time in the Dakota Territory. His years in the Badlands helped shape his character, and they inspired the conservation ethic that would later define his Presidency. He was a rancher, so he was on horseback all of the time. He really credits North Dakota in that experience for rounding out his strength and vitality, which are some of the attributes that he needed to go on and be elected President. As a result, the horses of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park have become an enduring symbol of that legacy. Yet, despite their importance, there have been repeated efforts to remove them from the park, including as recently as in 2022. Each and every time, those efforts are met with overwhelming public opposition not just from people in North Dakota but from people across the country who recognize the contributions the horses make to the park's incredible and colorful history. That is why we have introduced this legislation. S. 1377 provides a balanced, commonsense, and durable solution. It ensures the National Park Service will continue to manage a healthy horse herd while providing permanent protection for an important part of the park's identity. Specifically, the bill directs the National Park Service to maintain a herd of not fewer than 150 horses--a population level consistent with the need for responsible management of a genetically diverse herd. I greatly appreciate my colleague from Virginia Senator Kaine for joining me in introducing and sponsoring this legislation. Senator Kaine understands firsthand the important role of the wild ponies of the Chincoteague and Assateague Islands on Federal lands in his own State. I also appreciate the support from the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service and their willingness to provide certainty for the future of horses in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This bill is about ensuring that future generations can experience the same landscape that helped shape one of our Nation's greatest conservation leaders. By passing this bill, we can ensure the future of wild horses at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I would also like to thank Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and the Energy Committee's staff for their work in helping us advance this important legislation. [[Page S2748]] I am also pleased to work with Senator Gallego to pass his Cross- Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act today, and I appreciate his partnership. Therefore, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be discharged from further consideration of S. 1377 and that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 430, S. 2033, and S. 1377. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bills by title. The senior assistant bill clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 2033) to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on existing programs, rules, and authorities that enable or inhibit wildfire mitigation across land ownership boundaries on Federal and non-Federal land. A bill (S. 1377) to ensure the maintenance of a herd of horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and for other purposes. There being no objection, the committee was discharged of the relevant bill (S. 1377), and the Senate proceeded to consider the bills en bloc, (S. 2033) which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic, as follows: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act''. SEC. 2. STUDY ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION ACROSS LAND OWNERSHIP BOUNDARIES. (a) Study Required.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on-- (1) the existing Federal programs, rules, and authorities that enable or inhibit wildfire mitigation from being completed across land ownership boundaries on Federal and non-Federal land; (2) whether changes to any program, rule, or authority identified pursuant to paragraph (1) would allow Federal land management agencies (as defined in section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801)), the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Fire Administration, States, local governments, and Tribal governments increased capacity or access to funding to mitigate wildfires; and (3) the activities carried out pursuant to subsection (e) of section 103 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6513), including-- (A) how to improve the efficacy of such activities with respect to mitigating wildfire; and (B) whether the enactment of such subsection has increased the access of Federal land management agencies and States to funding to mitigate wildfires. (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that contains-- (1) the results of the study required under subsection (a); and (2) recommendations to simplify cross-boundary wildfire mitigation between Federal land management agencies and State, local, and Tribal governments. Mr. HOEVEN. I further ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported substitute amendment to S. 2033 be agreed to; that the bills, as amended, where amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, all en bloc. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there an objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to. The bill (S. 2033), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed. The bill (S. 1377) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows: S. 1377 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act''. SEC. 2. MAINTENANCE OF HORSES IN THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK. Section 5 of the Act of April 25, 1947 (61 Stat. 54, chapter 41; 16 U.S.C. 245), is amended-- (1) by striking the section designation and all that follows through ``The Administration'' and inserting the following: ``SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION, PROTECTION, AND DEVELOPMENT. ``(a) In General.--The administration''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(b) Maintenance of Horses.-- ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this subsection as the `Secretary') shall maintain a genetically diverse herd of horses in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (referred to in this subsection as the `Park'), with a population of not fewer than 150 horses. ``(2) Management plan.-- ``(A) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall develop a plan to provide for the management of horses in the Park. ``(B) Requirements.--The plan developed under subparagraph (A) shall provide for the cost-effective management of the horses in the Park while ensuring that natural resources within the Park are not adversely impacted. ``(3) Removal.--The Secretary shall not remove, or assist in or permit the removal of, any horses from Federal land within the boundaries of the Park-- ``(A) unless the removal is carried out as part of a plan to maintain a genetically diverse herd of horses; or ``(B) except-- ``(i) in the case of emergency; or ``(ii) to protect public health and safety. ``(4) Monitoring and assessment.--The Secretary shall annually monitor, assess, and make available to the public findings regarding the population, structure, and health of the horses in the Park.''. Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, with that, again, I want to thank my colleague Senator Gallego and turn to him for his comments. I yield the floor. Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. President, I rise today to mark an important step in the fight against wildfires with the passage of my Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act. Like ma

Referenced legislation: S1377, S1377, S2033, S4740