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S. 638: A bill to amend the Act of June 22, 1948.

119th Congress · introduced 2025-02-19 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 208.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to amend the Act of June 22, 1948.

Plain summary

This bill prevents decreases in annual payments provided to Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties in Minnesota for national forest lands in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Specifically, the bill modifies the formula created under the Thye-Blatnik Act that the Department of the Treasury uses to determine the amount of the payments. Treasury must base the payments on the highest fair appraised value, including historical fair appraised values, rather than on the fair appraised value of the land.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to 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 amend the Act of June 22, 1948.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] · 1 cosponsors

Money: CBO cost estimate: S. 638, a bill to amend the Act of June 22, 1948 (2026-06-08) No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appraisal
An estimate of what property is worth. In Texas, county appraisal districts set the value that property taxes are based on.
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

Record fed-us-cong119-s638 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills