I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6451 
To establish the Chiricahua National Park in the State of Arizona as a 
unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 20, 2022 
Mrs. KIRKPATRICK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Chiricahua National Park in the State of 
Arizona as a unit of the National Park System, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chiricahua National 
Park Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Tribal commission established under sec-
tion 4(c). 
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(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(3) 
MONUMENT.—The 
term 
‘‘Monument’’ 
means the Chiricahua National Monument estab-
lished by Presidential Proclamation 1692 (54 U.S.C. 
320301 note; 43 Stat. 1946). 
(4) NATIONAL
PARK.—The term ‘‘National 
Park’’ means the Chiricahua National Park estab-
lished by section 3(a). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Arizona. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL PARK. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To protect, preserve, and inter-
pret the rhyolitic rock formations, biodiversity, and other 
natural and cultural resources of the area, the Chiricahua 
National Monument in the State shall be known and des-
ignated as the ‘‘Chiricahua National Park’’. 
(1) INCORPORATION.—The land and any inter-
est in land that constitute the Monument (as in ex-
istence on the day before the date of the enactment 
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of this Act) are incorporated in, and shall be consid-
ered to be part of, the National Park. 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Any funds avail-
able for the Monument shall be available for the Na-
tional Park. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The boundaries of the Na-
tional Park are as generally depicted on the map en-
titled ‘‘Chiricahua National Park Proposed Bound-
ary’’, numbered 145/156,356, and dated March 
2021. 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map shall be 
on file and available for public inspection in the ap-
propriate offices of the National Park Service. 
(c) REFERENCES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any reference in a law, map, 
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the 
United States to the ‘‘Chiricahua National Monu-
ment’’ shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
‘‘Chiricahua National Park’’. 
(2) WILDERNESS.—Any reference in a law, 
map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of 
the United States to the ‘‘Chiricahua National 
Monument Wilderness’’ designated by Public Law 
94–567 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 90 Stat. 2692) shall 
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be considered to be a reference to the ‘‘Chiricahua 
National Park Wilderness’’. 
(3) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall ad-
minister the Park in accordance with— 
(A) this Act; and 
(B) the laws generally applicable to units 
of the National Park System. 
SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT OF CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL PARK. 
(a) 
TRADITIONAL
CULTURAL
AND
RELIGIOUS 
SITES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with Indian Tribes, shall ensure the protection 
of traditional cultural and religious sites in the Na-
tional Park. 
(2) ACCESS.—The Secretary, in accordance 
with Public Law 95–341 (commonly known as the 
‘‘American Indian Religious Freedom Act’’; 42 
U.S.C. 1996 et seq.) shall ensure access to the sites 
described in paragraph (1) by members of Indian 
Tribes for traditional, cultural, religious, and cus-
tomary uses. 
(3) TEMPORARY CLOSURES.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out this 
section, the Secretary, on request of an Indian 
Tribe, may temporarily close to the general 
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public one or more specific portions of the Na-
tional Park to protect traditional cultural and 
customary uses in the area by members of the 
Indian Tribe. 
(B) REQUIREMENT.—Any closure under 
subparagraph (A) shall be— 
(i) made in such a manner as to affect 
the smallest practicable area for the min-
imum time necessary for the activity to be 
carried out; and 
(ii) be consistent with the purpose and 
intent of Public Law 95–341 (commonly 
known as the ‘‘American Indian Religious 
Freedom Act’’; 42 U.S.C. 1996) and the 
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). 
(b) COLLECTION
OF PLANTS
AND MINERAL RE-
SOURCES BY MEMBERS OF CULTURALLY AFFILIATED IN-
DIAN TRIBES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall allow an 
enrolled member of any Indian Tribe that is cul-
turally affiliated with the land located within the 
boundaries of the National Park to collect plants, in-
cluding parts or products of plants, and mineral re-
sources within the National Park for noncommercial 
traditional, religious, customary, and cultural uses. 
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(2) APPLICATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), a collection activity under 
paragraph (1) shall be— 
(i) consistent with applicable laws; 
and 
(ii) subject to such conditions as the 
Secretary determines to be necessary to 
protect the resources and values of the Na-
tional Park. 
(B) QUANTITY LIMITATIONS.— 
(i) 
EXISTING
REGULATIONS.—No 
quantity limitation contained in a regula-
tion of the National Park Service in effect 
on the date of the enactment of this Act 
shall apply to a collection activity under 
paragraph (1). 
(ii) LIMITATIONS
IMPOSED
BY
SEC-
RETARY.—The Secretary may limit the 
quantity of plants, including parts or prod-
ucts of plants, and mineral resources col-
lected under paragraph (1) if the Secretary 
determines, through consultation with the 
Commission, that the limitation is nec-
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essary to protect the resources and values 
of the National Park. 
(c) TRIBAL COMMISSION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To ensure that the manage-
ment of the National Park reflects the expertise and 
traditional and historical knowledge of members of 
applicable Indian Tribes, the Secretary shall estab-
lish a Tribal commission for the National Park. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The commission shall provide 
guidance and recommendations on the development 
and implementation of the management plans for, 
and the policies of, the National Park. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—The commission shall con-
sist of 1 representative designated by the governing 
body of each Indian Tribe with a historical associa-
tion with the area within the boundaries of the Na-
tional Park. 
(4) INCORPORATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
In developing plans and policies for the National 
Park, the Secretary shall carefully and fully consider 
incorporating the traditional and historical knowl-
edge and special expertise of members of the com-
mission or a comparable entity. 
(5) WRITTEN EXPLANATION.—If the Secretary 
determines not to incorporate a specific rec-
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ommendation submitted to the Secretary in writing 
by the commission, the Secretary shall provide to the 
commission a written explanation of the reason for 
the determination. 
(d) WITHDRAWAL FROM FEDERAL MINING
AND 
MINERAL LEASING LAWS.— 
(1) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights in effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the land located within the boundaries of the 
National Park is withdrawn from— 
(A) location, entry, and patent under the 
mining laws; and 
(B) disposition under all laws pertaining to 
mineral and geothermal leasing. 
(2) ACQUIRED LAND.—Any land or interest in 
land that is acquired by the United States after the 
date of the enactment of this Act for inclusion in the 
National Park, shall, on acquisition, be immediately 
withdrawn in accordance with this subsection. 
(3) EFFECT.—Nothing in this subsection af-
fects any recreational use, including hunting or fish-
ing, that is authorized on the land within the bound-
aries of the National Park under applicable law as 
of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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