# 119-s-704: Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2025

119-s-704, Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (R-MT); status introduced (as of 2026-07-31).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-704
- As of: 2026-07-31
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-704
- Congress: 119
- Title: Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-02-25
- Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (R-MT)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Agriculture and Food
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-31

## Summary

**Would reauthorize through FY2029 and expand funding for voluntary public access to privately held farm, ranch, and forest land for hunting, fishing, and wildlife-dependent recreation.** It would provide $150 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation for FY2025–2029 and aim to use $3 million to encourage public access to lands under wetland reserve easements. - State and tribal governments would get competitive grants to build programs that encourage private landowners to allow public access for hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching. - Private landowners of farms, ranches, and forests could receive incentives and support from those state or tribal programs to open land for recreation. - Hunters, anglers, and wildlife recreationists would likely gain more places to access private lands for outdoor recreation. - The bill specifically targets wetland reserve easement lands by directing up to $3 million to agreements that encourage public access. *Would increase mandatory Commodity Credit Corporation funding by $150 million for FY2025–2029, including $3 million targeted to wetland reserve easement access.*

## Cosponsors (5)

- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-02-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS] (R-KS), 2025-02-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN), 2026-07-29T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Federal funds for public habitat access: benefit, medium. This bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to use $150 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation for fiscal years 2025 through 2029. Those funds would carry out the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program. To the maximum extent practicable, $3 million of that money would…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-1552: Living Donor Protection Act of 2025
- 119-s-3302: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025
- 119-s-2858: SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025
- 119-s-1261: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
- 119-s-1677: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

## Sources
- [119-s-704 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/704)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-1552: Living Donor Protection Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1552)
- [119-s-3302: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3302)
- [119-s-2858: SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2858)
- [119-s-1261: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1261)
- [119-s-1677: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1677)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-704 (as of 2026-07-31).