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Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act
To ensure access to certain public land, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill prioritizes motorized vehicle access on public lands managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management by defining "disability-accessible land" as areas with at least 2.5 miles of authorized roads per square mile. It restricts the ability of federal agencies to close roads, requiring them to maintain access for recreational activities and establish replacement roads within one year of any closure. The bill also requires federal agencies to coordinate with state, local, and tribal governments on road designations and creates a presumption that roads should remain open unless closure is necessary for direct safety threats.
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)
- Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] (R-UT)
1 cosponsor
- Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT] (R-UT)
Actions (3)
- Feb 12, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. · senate
- Oct 3, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. · senate
- Oct 3, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
- Business meeting to consider S.365 and H.R.1729, bills to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to allow for additional entities to be eligible to complete the maintenance work on Bolts Ditch and the Bolts Ditch Headgate within the Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado, S.764, to provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, S.791, to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site in the State of Maryland as an affiliated area of the National Park System, S.888, to designate certain land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service in the State of Oregon as wilderness and national recreation areas, to withdraw certain land located in Curry County and Josephine County, Oregon, from all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws, location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws, S.945, to amend the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to include certain additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain wild rivers in the State of Oregon, S.1005, to provide for conservation and economic development in the State of Nevada, S.1088, to provide that the memorial to commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked on the home front to support the efforts of the United States military during World War II may be located on the National Mall, S.1195, to promote conservation, improve public land management, and provide for sensible development in Pershing County, Nevada, S.1257, to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to authorize the use of funds for certain additional Carey Act projects, S.1341, to amend the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 to add certain land to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness, S.1349, to withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdistrict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the National Wildlife Refuge System land in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral leasing laws, S.1476, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Gila River system in the State of New Mexico as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of New Mexico, S.1737, to designate and expand wilderness areas in Olympic National Forest in the State of Washington, and to designate certain rivers in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park as wild and scenic rivers, S.1777, to amend the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 to expand the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, to redesignate the Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park as the "Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center", S.1870, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, S.2498, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend certain leases within units of the National Park System without opening the lease to bidding, S.2767 and H.R.5254, bills to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings, S.2801, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area, S.2887, to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Route 66 National Historic Trail, S.2933, to redesignate a playground in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in the State of West Virginia as the "Hearts of Gold Playground: In Honor of West Virginia Children and Families Impacted by Childhood Cancer", S.2968, to ensure access to certain public land, S.3194, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land in California as the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area, S.3313 and H.R.6365, bills to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way for an emergency exit on certain National Park Service land in the State of Virginia, S.3409, to reaffirm that the Bureau of Reclamation retains exclusive ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, ensuring long-term conservation of the endangered pallid sturgeon and other native aquatic species in the Yellowstone River while protecting the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project and District from undue financial and operational burdens, S.3635 and H.R. 7250, bills to reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000, S.3715 and H.R.6380, bills to establish the Chiricahua N
- Hearings to examine S.462, to provide for economic development and conservation in Washoe County, Nevada, S.1349, to withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdistrict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the National Wildlife Refuge System land in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral leasing laws, S.1464, to withdraw certain Bureau of Land Management land from mineral development, S.1497, to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to establish the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and to modify the boundary of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, S.1981, to require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to utilize grazing for wildfire risk reduction, S.2417, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a special use permit with respect to the maintaining of a flagpole bearing the flag of the United States at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point, Utah, S.2554, to provide for the recognition of certain Alaska Native communities and the settlement of certain claims under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, S.2754, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the City of Ouray, Colorado, certain land managed by the Forest Service, together with a reservoir, S.2787, to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to ensure that ranchers who have grazing agreements on national grasslands are treated the same as permittees on other Federal land, S.2860, to unleash United States offshore critical minerals and resources, S.2968, to ensure access to certain public land, S.3004, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Bureau of Land Management land to the city of Price, Utah, S.3082, to prohibit oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production in certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, S.3493, to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land in Carson City, Nevada, S.3526, to provide for the protection of and investment in certain Federal land in the State of California, S.3527, to release from wilderness study area designation certain land in the State of Montana, to improve the management of that land, S.3695, to amend Public Law 96-586 to modernize the authority of the Forest Service to acquire and administer land under that Act, H.R.204, to require that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior submit accurate reports regarding hazardous fuels reduction activities, H.R.677, to establish a process to expedite the review of appeals of certain decisions by the Department of the Interior, H.R.952, to convey the reversionary interest of the United States in certain land in Sacramento, California, H.R.1829, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain lands within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, H.R.3872, to amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals, H.R.3937, to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 3, 2025
Mr. Lee (for himself and Mr. Curtis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To ensure access to certain public land, 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 “Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act”.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Disability-accessible land.—The term “disability- accessible land” means each square mile of public land assessed, as of the date of enactment of this Act, to have not less than 2.5 miles of authorized road accessible to motorized vehicles or off-road vehicles.
(2) Off-road vehicle.—The term “off-road vehicle” means any motorized vehicle capable of, or designed for, travel on or immediately over land, water, or other natural terrain.
(3) Public land.—The term “public land” means—
(A) National Forest System land; and
(B) land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior.
(4) Secretary concerned.—The term “Secretary concerned” means—
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service), with respect to National Forest System land; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 3. UPDATES TO TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLANS AND MOTOR VEHICLE USE PLANS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including regulations), the Secretaries concerned shall prioritize updating travel management plans and motor vehicle use plans of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service.
SEC. 4. MOTOR VEHICLE USE MAPS AND DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC LAND AS OPEN, LIMITED, OR CLOSED TO OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
(a) In General.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including regulations), the Secretary of Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service), for purposes of developing motor vehicle use maps under section 212.56 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), and the Secretary of the Interior, for purposes of designating public land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior as open, limited, or closed to off-road vehicles under section 8342.3 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), shall—
(1) account for the total length of traversable, approved roads in each square mile of public land managed by the applicable Secretary concerned;
(2) for purposes of closing roads under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, comply with the requirements established under subsection (b);
(3) prioritize the inclusion and approval of roads on public land that provide access to diverse opportunities for recreation, including hunting, fishing, visiting cultural and natural sites, birdwatching, hiking, picnicking, camping, boating, mountain biking, and the use of motorized vehicles or off-road vehicles (including electric bicycles and over-snow vehicles);
(4) coordinate with appropriate Federal agencies, State, county, and other local governmental entities, and Tribal governments for purposes of identifying routes on public land that are considered to be desirable for recreation to ensure the public land is disability-accessible land;
(5) have the authority to revise a route on public land as the Secretary concerned determines to be necessary to address changes to conditions occurring after the date of the designation of the route; and
(6) ensure that any road that is subject to a claim under section 2477 of the Revised Statutes (43 U.S.C. 932) (repealed by section 706 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-579; 90 Stat. 2793)) that has not been adjudicated or litigated shall remain open until the adjudication or litigation has been completed.
(b) Road Closures.—
(1) In general.—For purposes of subsection (a)(2)—
(A) in the case of disability-accessible land, the Secretary concerned shall not close roads that would result in a net decrease of authorized road accessible to motorized vehicles or off-road vehicles to the extent that the public land would no longer be designated as disability-accessible land, unless—
(i) the road on public land being closed was established during the 1-year period ending on the date of the closure to address a temporary need or emergency; or
(ii) the Secretary concerned—
(I) determines that the road on public land being closed poses a direct threat to the health or safety of personnel or visitors to the public land; and
(II) complies with the requirements of paragraphs (3) and (4) with respect to the closure; and
(B) in the case of public land that is not considered to be disability-accessible land—
(i) the Secretary concerned shall consider opening any road on public land that was closed during the 10-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act;
(ii) the Secretary concerned shall not close any additional roads on public land, unless the Secretary concerned—
(I) determines that the road poses a direct threat to the health or safety of personnel or visitors to the public land; and
(II) complies with the requirements of paragraphs (3) and (4) with respect to the closure; and
(iii) the Secretary concerned shall not close any roads on public land that the Secretary concerned determines are beneficial for fuels reduction treatments, wildfire response, or search and rescue activities.
(2) Notice and hearing.—For purposes of a road closure under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall—
(A) provide notice of the proposed closure to allow for public comment, which may be provided after the closure if the Secretary concerned determines that there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of personnel or visitors to the public land; and
(B) conduct a public hearing with respect to the closure, which may be held after the closure if the Secretary concerned makes a determination in the affirmative under subparagraph (A).
(3) New roads.—For purposes of a road closure under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall—
(A) provide for the nomination of new roads on public land to be added to a motor vehicle use plan or travel management plan of the Secretary concerned; and
(B) establish an appropriate new road on public land not later than 1 year after the date on which the road is closed under that paragraph.
(4) Categorical exclusion.—A road closure that the Secretary concerned determines to be necessary under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) or the establishment of a new road nominated for establishment under subparagraph
(A) of paragraph (3) shall be categorically excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), subject to any regulations requiring a determination that there are no extraordinary circumstances that warrant the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement with respect to the proposed road closure or establishment of the new road.
(5) Rebuttable presumption.—For purposes of the review of a road closure under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), there shall be a rebuttable presumption that roads shall remain open for public use, which may only be rebutted by clear and compelling evidence demonstrating that the closure of the road is necessary in accordance with this Act.
(c) Regulations.—The Secretaries concerned may issue or revise regulations to carry out this section.
SEC. 5. EFFECT OF ACT.
Nothing in this Act—
(1) prohibits the Secretary concerned from developing new roads or trails on public land for the use of motorized vehicles or off-road vehicles; or
(2) establishes new roads or trails in a component of the National Wilderness System, inventoried roadless area, congressionally designated primitive area, or unit of the National Park System (other than a National Recreation Area). <all>
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