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HR 8206118th CongressFailed / ExpiredHouse

To ensure that Big Cypress National Preserve may not be designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

Policy Area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
View on Congress.gov
Origin Chamber
House
Last Updated
May 27, 2025
Latest Action Date
Jun 27, 2024

Latest Action

Subcommittee Hearings Held

Official Summary

Official summary has not been imported yet.

GovScope Watchdog™

AI Government Intelligence™
Executive Summary

This bill, introduced in the 118th Congress as H.R. 8206, seeks to prohibit the designation of Big Cypress National Preserve as wilderness or as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill aims to maintain the current status of Big Cypress National Preserve, preventing it from receiving the protections and restrictions that come with wilderness designation. The bill was considered in the House and had subcommittee hearings but ultimately failed or expired without becoming law. No full text or official summary is available, limiting detailed analysis.

Bottom Line

H.R. 8206 intended to prevent Big Cypress National Preserve from being designated as wilderness, but the bill did not advance past subcommittee hearings and expired.

Policy Risk Level
🟡 Medium
Neutral Risk Assessment
Key Points
  • The bill explicitly prohibits Big Cypress National Preserve from being designated as wilderness or included in the National Wilderness Preservation System.
  • The bill was introduced and considered in the House of Representatives during the 118th Congress.
  • Subcommittee hearings were held on June 27, 2024, but the bill ultimately failed or expired without further action.
Who Benefits?

['Federal land management agencies responsible for Big Cypress National Preserve, such as the National Park Service', 'Local stakeholders and industries potentially affected by wilderness designation restrictions', 'Recreational users who may prefer less restrictive land use policies']

Potential Concerns

['Lack of wilderness designation may limit long-term environmental protections for Big Cypress National Preserve.', "The bill's failure to advance means no change to current management, but future attempts could raise oversight and policy tradeoff questions.", 'Absence of detailed bill text and summary restricts clarity on implementation mechanisms and enforcement.']

Political Context

The bill was introduced in the House during the 118th Congress and underwent subcommittee hearings. It relates to ongoing debates about land use and conservation policy, specifically the balance between wilderness preservation and other land uses. The bill did not progress beyond subcommittee and expired, reflecting limited legislative momentum.

Hidden Impact Review

Hidden impact flags detected: 2

GovScope reviewed 2 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.

2 Detected
Detected Flags
Indirect Effects

['Maintaining the current non-wilderness status of Big Cypress National Preserve may allow continued recreational and commercial activities that would be restricted under wilderness designation.', 'Potential future legislative efforts on wilderness designation for this area may arise, creating ongoing policy discussions and uncertainty.', "Local economic activities dependent on less restrictive land use policies may be indirectly supported by the bill's prohibition on wilderness designation."]

GovScope Watchdog Notes

The absence of an official bill summary and full text limits the ability to fully assess the bill's provisions and implementation details. The bill's failure to advance beyond subcommittee hearings suggests limited legislative support or prioritization. Transparency would be improved by the availability of full text and detailed summaries to clarify the scope and impact of the bill's prohibitions on wilderness designation.

Passage Likelihood: LowConfidence: 85%Model: gpt-4.1-mini

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