SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Monuments Protection 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) public land in the United States is managed 
and administered for the use and enjoyment of 
present and future generations; 
(2) the National Park System (including Na-
tional Parks, National Monuments, and National 
Recreation Areas) is managed for the benefit and in-
spiration of all the people of the United States; 
(3) the National Wildlife Refuge System is ad-
ministered for the benefit of present and future gen-
erations of people in the United States, with priority 
consideration for compatible wildlife-dependent gen-
eral public uses of the National Wildlife Refuge Sys-
tem; 
(4) the National Forest System is dedicated to 
the long-term benefit of present and future genera-
tions; 
(5) the reopening and temporary operation and 
management of public land, the National Park Sys-
tem, the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the 
National Forest System using funds from States 
and political subdivisions of States during periods in 
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which the Federal Government is unable to operate 
and manage the areas at normal levels due to a 
lapse in appropriations is consistent with the values 
and purposes for which those areas were established; 
(6) any restriction of public access to national 
monuments, the National Park System, or the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System during a lapse in ap-
propriations, when such restriction is not necessary 
to comply with budgetary constraints and when an 
agency has not taken steps to mitigate restrictions 
on public access, shall be considered a direct viola-
tion of the purpose for which these lands and monu-
ments were established and entrusted to Federal 
agencies for management; and 
(7) Federal agencies that serve as the manage-
ment agency of national monuments, the National 
Park System, or the National Wildlife Refuge Sys-
tem have been entrusted with such properties to 
maintain and prioritize public access, including dur-
ing a lapse in appropriations. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVERED UNIT.—The term ‘‘covered unit’’ 
means— 
(A) public lands; 
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(B) units of the National Park System; 
(C) units of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System; 
(D) federally owned open air monuments 
and memorials; 
(E) units of the National Forest System; 
and 
(F) federally owned roads and off ramps 
on land described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(E). 
(2) PUBLIC LAND.—The term ‘‘public lands’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 103 of 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702). 
(3) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means— 
(A) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to land under the jurisdiction of the Sec-
retary of the Interior; or 
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to land under the jurisdiction of the Sec-
retary of Agriculture. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means the several States, the District of Colum-
bia, federally recognized Indian tribes, and terri-
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tories and possessions of the United States, and po-
litical subdivisions thereof. 
SEC. 4. AGREEMENT TO OPERATE AND MANAGE COVERED 
UNIT DURING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after an 
eligible entity offers to enter into an agreement under this 
section, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with 
that eligible entity under which the eligible entity shall as-
sume, in whole or in part, activities to resume or continue 
operations and public access to any covered unit during 
any period when those activities would not otherwise be 
carried out because there is— 
(1) a lapse in available Federal funds for all or 
part of the covered unit as a result of a failure to 
enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing res-
olution; or 
(2) insufficient Federal funds to operate all or 
part of the covered unit as a result of a failure of 
the Federal Government to make sufficient funds 
available for this purpose. 
(b) CONDITIONS.—Agreements entered into under 
this section— 
(1) shall only apply to a covered unit within the 
boundaries of the eligible entity that is a party to 
the agreement; 
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(2) may apply to all or part of a covered unit; 
(3) shall be for a term of not more than 5 
years, unless the 5-year term would expire during a 
period when the agreement is being actively imple-
mented, in which case the agreement shall expire at 
the conclusion of the lapse of funding (and related 
reimbursement) which precipitated the implementa-
tion; and 
(4) shall be in effect only during any period in 
which the Secretary is unable to operate and man-
age covered units at normal levels, as determined in 
accordance with the terms of agreement entered into 
under subsection (a). 
(c) COPIES OF AGREEMENTS.—A copy of each agree-
ment entered into under this section shall be— 
(1) kept by the Secretary, the eligible entity, 
and any other appropriate agency; and 
(2) available for inspection by Congress. 
(d) REIMBURSEMENT.—To the extent that funds are 
made available, through Acts of appropriation or other-
wise, for activities carried out by an eligible entity under 
an agreement entered into under this section, the Sec-
retary shall reimburse the eligible entity for costs ex-
pended by the eligible entity to carry out those activities. 
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