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Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act
Summary
- Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into agreements with local government agencies to provide lifeguard services at federal swimming areas and beaches when there is a staffing shortage of federal lifeguards.
- Requires the federal government to reimburse local government agencies for all reasonable costs of providing lifeguard services under these agreements.
- Applies to swimming areas and beaches managed by the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation.
- Defines staffing shortage as a shortage that prevents adequate federal lifeguard coverage during normal operating hours, excluding temporary absences like annual or sick leave.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
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![Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]](https://media.civicgate.org/people/d/politicians/K000399.thumb.jpg)
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. (R-VA) [#2]
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Jennifer A. Kiggans’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- Employer not reported $169,799
- HEPBURN & SONS LLC $23,100
- ENTREPRENEUR $19,547
- INVESTMENTS LIMITED $15,008
- C & M INDUSTRIES $14,100
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Jennifer A. Kiggans → · Outside spending →
Actions (16)
- Sep 15, 2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. · senate
- Sep 14, 2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
- Sep 14, 2026 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5563) · house
- Sep 14, 2026 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- Sep 14, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5063. · house
- Sep 14, 2026 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5563-5564) · house
- Sep 14, 2026 Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
- Aug 27, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 673. · house
- Aug 27, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-772. · house
- Jul 22, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent. · house
- Jul 22, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jul 22, 2026 Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged · house
- Dec 2, 2025 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Nov 25, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. · house
- Aug 29, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
- Aug 29, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
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Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (4)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Committee action
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Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
AN ACT
To ensure continuity of staffing at Federal beaches, 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 “Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act”.
SEC. 2. ADEQUATE LIFEGUARD STAFFING AT FEDERAL SWIMMING AREAS AND BEACHES.
(a) In General.—If the Secretary determines there is a staffing shortage with respect to a designated swim location, the Secretary may seek to enter into an agreement with one or more local government agencies to enable lifeguards employed by those local government agencies to—
(1) adequately staff such designated swim location during normal seasonal operating hours; and
(2) ensure visitor safety and provide rescue and first aid services at the designated swim location as necessary.
(b) Reimbursement.—In entering into an agreement under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall ensure that the local government agency providing the lifeguard services is reimbursed for all reasonable costs incurred by the local government agency in carrying out the agreement.
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Designated swim location.—The term “designated swim location” means a swimming area or swimming beach—
(A) on lands and waters managed by the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Bureau of Reclamation; and
(B) that is typically monitored by federally employed lifeguards during normal seasonal operating hours.
(2) Staffing shortage.—
(A) In general.—The term “staffing shortage” means a level of staffing that negatively impacts the ability to adequately staff a designated swim location with federally employed lifeguards and will likely result or has resulted in a designated swim location being left unmonitored by federally employed lifeguards during normal seasonal operating hours.
(B) Exclusion.—The term “staffing shortage” does not refer to short-term staffing shortages caused by temporary absences, such as an employee taking annual or sick leave.
(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2026.
Attest:
Clerk. 119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5063
AN ACT
To ensure continuity of staffing at Federal beaches, and for other purposes.
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