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119-hr-8686119th CongressWALLET

To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.

Sponsored By: Representative Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9]

In Committee

Summary

Withdraw and reserve federal land near Yuma Proving Ground for Army use. The bill would set aside specific federal tracts to support military readiness and security and spell out how the Department of the Interior and the Army share management and permit other activities.

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  • Military and federal land managers: It would withdraw about 21,783 acres along Highway 95 and about 249.3 acres at Howard Cantonment for Army use while preserving valid existing rights. The land is reserved for the Army under the terms described in the cited public land order.
  • Utilities and regional grid planners: It would allow the Bureau of Land Management to issue rights-of-way for critical, regional-grid utility infrastructure in the Parker-Blaisdell Utility Corridor. Those decisions must be made by the BLM State Director, require Army consultation, and include conditions to protect the Army mission.
  • Local users and conservation interests: Interior would manage the withdrawn land under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and may permit conservation, recreation, hunting, cultural preservation, wild horse management, and similar uses subject to conditions the Interior and Army jointly set. The Interior may assign management to the Army, which would then follow applicable laws for land and wildlife management.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Permits and utility rights-of-way

If enacted, the bill would make Interior the agency that issues leases, easements, rights-of-way, permits, and similar authorizations that cross both the withdrawn land and nearby non-Army land. Except for the Parker-Blaisdell Utility Corridor, such cross-boundary instruments would require the consent of the Secretary of the Army and be subject to Army conditions for the withdrawn land. For the Parker-Blaisdell corridor, Interior could issue rights-of-way for critical regional-grid utility infrastructure consistent with the February 28, 2025 memorandum, without needing Army consent. Interior must consult the Army and add conditions to limit mission impacts. Corridor decisions may not be delegated below the BLM State Director or assigned to the Army.

Interior or Army manage Yuma land

If enacted, the bill would make the Interior Secretary responsible for managing the withdrawn Yuma land under Federal Land Policy and Management Act rules. The Interior Secretary could assign management responsibility to the Secretary of the Army. If the Army is assigned management, it would still have to follow conservation and land laws. The bill would also allow non-military uses like wildlife conservation, cultural site protection, wild horse and burro management, recreation, hunting, and fire prevention, but these uses would be limited by conditions needed to protect defense use.

Land reserved near Yuma Proving Ground

If enacted, the bill would withdraw and reserve about 21,782.981 acres (Highway 95 area) and about 249.29 acres (Howard Cantonment) near Yuma Proving Ground. About 800 acres of Arizona State subsurface within the Highway 95 area would be excluded. The land would be removed from public land entry, mining claims, and mineral and geothermal leasing, and reserved for Army use. The withdrawal would last indefinitely or until the Secretary of the Army says the land is no longer needed, and it would remain subject to valid existing rights.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9]

AZ • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 6/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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