# 119-s-5262: Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2026

119-s-5262, Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY] (R-KY); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5262
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5262
- Congress: 119
- Title: Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-08-05
- Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY] (R-KY)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Environmental Protection
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**This bill would limit federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction** by narrowing "navigable waters" to waters with direct, continuous connections to traditionally navigable waters and by blocking agencies from expanding that definition. It would also strengthen property-owner protections, state primacy over water regulation, and require compensation rules for regulatory impacts on land value. - Property owners: Landowners would gain written-consent and notice rights for federal entry, the right to be present during data collection, expedited judicial review of jurisdictional determinations within 30 days, and a compensation remedy that pays twice the appraised loss if a regulation reduces property value. - States and local users: States would keep their authority to regulate waters in the State and to enforce state nuisance laws without interference from the bill's changes. - Federal regulators and rules: The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps would be barred from using the "significant nexus" test, certain past Corps rules and guidance would be void, and agencies could not issue new guidance that expands the definition of navigable waters without explicit congressional authorization.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] (R-UT), 2026-08-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX), 2026-08-05T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Double compensation for property losses: benefit, high. If enacted, you would get paid if a federal water regulation cuts your property's fair market value or economic viability. An independent appraiser would set the loss and the agency would pay you twice that appraised loss. Payments would come from the agency's available operations funds. The covere…
- Narrow federal water jurisdiction: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would sharply narrow which waters count as federal "navigable waters." It would limit federal reach to waters that are navigable-in-fact or permanent, standing, or continuously flowing bodies connected to navigable waters. The bill would exclude intermittent or ephemeral channe…
- Stronger landowner inspection and court rights: benefit, low. If enacted, federal agents would need your written consent and a notice of the entry date before entering private land to collect water data. You would have the right to access any data they collect and to be present during collection if you consent. If a jurisdiction decision affects your land pla…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-3752: SAVE America Act
- 119-s-6: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-s-203: Defund Planned Parenthood Act
- 119-s-100: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5262 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5262)

## Related
- [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071)
- [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524)
- [119-s-3752: SAVE America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3752)
- [119-s-6: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-6)
- [119-s-203: Defund Planned Parenthood Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-203)
- [119-s-100: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-100)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5262 (as of 2026-09-10).