119-hr2238

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2238 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2238

 To allow holders of certain grazing permits to make minor range 
 improvements and to require that the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
 Secretary of the Interior respond to requests for range improvements 
 within 30 days, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 18, 2025

 Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Ms. Maloy, and Mr. Zinke) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
 Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To allow holders of certain grazing permits to make minor range 
 improvements and to require that the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
 Secretary of the Interior respond to requests for range improvements 
 within 30 days, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. MINOR RANGE IMPROVEMENTS UNDER USFS GRAZING PERMITS.

    (a) Minor Range Improvements by Permittees.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 
regulations allowing a permittee to carry out a minor range improvement 
on the lands with respect to which the permittee holds a grazing permit 
if--

    (1) the permittee notifies the applicable Forest Service 
 district ranger at least 30 days prior to carrying out such 
 minor range improvement; and

    (2) such applicable district ranger--
        (A) approves the minor range improvement; or
        (B) does not respond to the minor range 
 improvement.

    (b) Range Improvements by the Secretary.--The Secretary, acting 
through the applicable District Ranger, shall--

    (1) respond to a covered request not later than 30 days 
 after the date on which such request is submitted; and

    (2) if such response confirms that the Secretary, acting 
 through the applicable District Ranger, will carry out the 
 range improvement requested--
        (A) notify the district office that serves the area 
 in which such range improvement will occur; and
        (B) expedite the carrying out of such range 
 improvement using any available administrative tools or 
 authorities, including categorical exclusions.
            (c) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) CFR terms.--The terms ``grazing permit'', 
 ``permittee'', and ``range improvement'' have the meanings 
 given those terms, respectively, in 

section 222.1 of title 36, 
 Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

    (2) Covered request.--The term ``covered request'' means a 
 request submitted by a permittee to the Secretary requesting 
 that the Secretary carry out a range improvement.

    (3) Minor range improvement.--The term ``minor range 
 improvement'' includes improvements to existing fences and 
 fence lines, wells, water pipelines, and stock tanks.

    (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Agriculture.

SEC. 3. MINOR RANGE IMPROVEMENTS UNDER BLM GRAZING PERMITS.

    (a) Minor Range Improvements by Grazing Permit Holders.--Not later 
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall issue regulations allowing a grazing permit or lease holder to 
carry out a minor range improvement on the lands with respect to which 
the grazing permit or lease applies if--

    (1) the grazing permit or lease holder notifies the 
 applicable Bureau of Land Management district or field manager 
 at least 30 days prior to carrying out such minor range 
 improvement; and

    (2) such applicable district or field manager--
        (A) approves the minor range improvement; or
        (B) does not respond to the minor range 
 improvement.

    (b) Range Improvements by the Secretary.--The Secretary, acting 
through the applicable State Director of the Bureau of Land Management, 
shall--

    (1) respond to a covered request not later than 30 days 
 after the date on which such request is submitted; and

    (2) if such response confirms that the Secretary, acting 
 through the applicable State Director of the Bureau of Land 
 Management, will carry out the range improvement requested--
        (A) notify the State office that serves the area in 
 which such range improvement will occur; and
        (B) expedite the carrying out of such range 
 improvement using any available administrative tools or 
 authorities, including categorical exclusions.
            (c) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Covered request.--The term ``covered request'' means a 
 request submitted by a grazing permit holder to the Secretary 
 requesting that the Secretary carry out a range improvement.

    (2) Grazing permit or lease.--The term ``grazing permit or 
 lease'' means a grazing permit or lease described in 

section 4130.2 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or success 
 regulations).

    (3) Minor range improvement.--The term ``minor range 
 improvement'' includes improvements to existing fences and 
 fence lines, wells, water pipelines, and stock tanks.

    (4) Range improvement.--The term ``range improvement'' 
 means a range improvement carried out pursuant to subpart 4120 
 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
 regulations).

    (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of the Interior.
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