S. 446: A bill to prohibit Big Cypress National Preserve from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

119th Congress · introduced 2025-02-06 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably and an amendment to the title.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to prohibit Big Cypress National Preserve from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill prohibits the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The National Park Service currently manages Big Cypress National Preserve, which is a freshwater swamp ecosystem of 729,000 acres. In general, development activities, commercial activities, permanent structures, and roads are prohibited in wilderness areas. In contrast, natural preserves typically allow some development activities, such as hunting or oil and gas exploration.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to prohibit Big Cypress National Preserve from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] · 0 cosponsors

Money: CBO cost estimate: S. 446, a bill to prohibit Big Cypress National Preserve from being proposed, designated, or managed as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes (2026-09-25) No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119s446.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/s>

Record fed-us-cong119-s446 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills