Joshua Tree National Park Expansion Act

Bill: 119-s-1777
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced: 2025-05-15
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Latest action: action_date: 2025-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: S2953)

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1777 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 15, 2025 Mr. Padilla introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL 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 , and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Joshua Tree National Park Expansion Act . 2. Expansion of Joshua Tree National Park (a) Boundary adjustment Section 402 of the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 ( 16 U.S.C. 410aaa–22 ) is amended, in the first sentence, by inserting after October 1991 or prior, the following: and including the approximately 20,149 acres of land generally depicted on the map entitled Joshua Tree National Park Proposed Boundary Addition , numbered 156/193,676, and dated June 2024 . (b) Transfer of administrative jurisdiction Administrative jurisdiction over the land described in the amendment made by subsection (a) is transferred from the Bureau of Land Management to the National Park Service. (c) Land acquisition (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Interior may acquire land and interests in land within the boundary of the Joshua Tree National Park by— (A) donation; (B) purchase from a willing seller; (C) exchange; or (D) transfer. (2) Limitation Any land or interest land within the boundary of the Joshua Tree National Park that is owned by the State of California or a political subdivision of the State of California may only be acquired by the Secretary of the Interior by donation or exchange. 3. Technical correction Section 1433(a) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act ( Public Law 116–9 ; 133 Stat. 700) is amended by striking 156/149,375 each place it appears and inserting 156/149,375A . 4. Redesignation of the Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park as the Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center (a) Redesignation The Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park, or any successor to that visitor center, shall be known and designated as the Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center . (b) References Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the visitor center referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center .