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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5785 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5785
To expand the authorization of voluntary Federal grazing permit
retirement, provide increased flexibility for Federal grazing
permittees, promote the equitable resolution or avoidance of conflicts
on Federal lands managed by the Department of Agriculture or the
Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 17, 2025
Mr. Smith of Washington (for himself, Mr. Huffman, and Ms. Norton)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To expand the authorization of voluntary Federal grazing permit
retirement, provide increased flexibility for Federal grazing
permittees, promote the equitable resolution or avoidance of conflicts
on Federal lands managed by the Department of Agriculture or the
Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Voluntary Grazing
Permit Retirement Act of 2025''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Voluntary grazing permit retirement program.
Sec. 5. Effect of waiver of grazing permit.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Voluntary grazing permit retirement is a successful
land management tool that has been authorized by Congress for
specific purposes and in numerous areas throughout the 16
Western States, including Death Valley National Park, Capitol
Reef National Park, Arches National Park, Cascade-Siskiyou
National Monument, Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve,
and Wilderness Areas in the Owyhee Canyonlands and Boulder-
White Clouds.
(2) Expanding the authority for voluntary grazing permit
retirement to include all Federal lands managed by the
Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior in
the 16 Western States will aid in the resolution of land and
resource management conflicts and provide Federal grazing
permittees and lessees with increased flexibility and
opportunities when making decisions about the future of their
livestock operations.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administratively retired grazing allotment.--The term
``administratively retired grazing allotment'' means a grazing
allotment, or portion of a grazing allotment, on Federal lands
managed by the Secretary that is or becomes vacant or closed
due to the voluntary waiver of the grazing permit or lease by
the holder of the grazing permit or lease issued by the
Secretary with the intention of permanently ending livestock
grazing on that grazing allotment, or portion of a grazing
allotment, as a result of an agreement with a third party.
(2) Commercial livestock grazing; livestock grazing.--The
terms ``commercial livestock grazing'' and ``livestock
grazing''--
(A) mean the grazing of domestic livestock on
Federal lands as authorized by a grazing permit or
lease; and
(B) do not include the grazing of beasts of burden
on Federal lands while used for recreational or
administrative purposes.
(3) Grazing allotment.--The term ``grazing allotment''
means the designated portion of Federal land upon which
domestic livestock are authorized to graze by a grazing permit
or lease.
(4) Grazing permit; lease.--The terms ``grazing permit or
lease'' and ``grazing permit and lease'' mean any document
authorizing the use of Federal lands for the purpose of
commercial livestock grazing.
(5) Permittee; lessee.--The terms ``permittee or lessee''
and ``permittee and lessee'' mean a livestock operator that
holds a valid existing grazing permit or lease.
(6) Range developments.--The term ``range developments''--
(A) means structures, fences, and other permanent
fixtures placed on Federal lands for the furtherance of
the purpose of livestock grazing; and
(B) does not include rolling stock, livestock, and
diversions of water from Federal lands onto non-Federal
lands.
(7) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' refers to the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate
to the administration of a grazing permit or lease.
(9) 16 western states.--The term ``16 Western States''
means Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon,
South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
SEC. 4. VOLUNTARY GRAZING PERMIT RETIREMENT PROGRAM.
(a) Voluntary Waiver of Grazing Permit or Lease.--
(1) Acceptance by secretary.--Subject to the limitation set
forth in subsection (c)(1), the Secretary shall accept, on a
first-come, first-served basis, any grazing permit or lease
related to Federal land in the 16 Western States that is
voluntarily waived by a grazing permittee or lessee with the
intention of permanently ending livestock grazing on that
grazing allotment or on a portion of that grazing allotment.
(2) Termination.--The Secretary shall immediately terminate
any grazing permit or lease accepted under paragraph (1).
(3) No new grazing permit or lease.--With respect to each
grazing permit or lease voluntarily waived under paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall--
(A) not issue any new grazing permit or lease
within the grazing allotment covered by the grazing
permit or lease; and
(B) ensure a permanent end to livestock grazing on
the grazing allotment covered by the grazing permit or
lease.
(b) Waiver of Grazing Permit or Lease on Common Allotments.--
(1) In general.--If a grazing allotment or portion of a
grazing allotment covered by a grazing permit or lease that is
waived under subsection (a) is also covered in part or in whole
by another grazing permit or lease that is not waived, the
Secretary shall reduce the level of commercial livestock
grazing on the grazing allotment to reflect the waiver.
(2) Authorized level.--To ensure that there is a permanent
reduction in the level of livestock grazing on the land covered
by the grazing permit or lease waived under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall not allow grazing to exceed the level
established under paragraph (1).
(c) Limitation.--
(1) In general.--The Secretaries shall accept per fiscal
year under this section--
(A) not more than 100 grazing permits, in the
aggregate, for all of the 16 Western States; and
(B) not more than 25 grazing permits for land
located in whole or in part in any individual State.
(2) Applicability.--This limitation shall not apply to
administratively retired grazing allotments as of the effective
date of this Act.
(d) Administratively Retired Grazing Allotments.--With respect to
grazing allotments administratively retired before the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(1) not issue any new grazing permit or lease within the
grazing allotment covered by the grazing permit or lease; and
(2) ensure a permanent end to livestock grazing on the
grazing allotment covered by the grazing permit or lease.
SEC. 5. EFFECT OF WAIVER OF GRAZING PERMIT.
(a) Effect on Range Developments.--A permittee or lessee who waives
a grazing permit or lease to the Secretary under section 4 shall be
deemed to have waived any claim to all range developments on land
covered by the grazing permit or lease waived, notwithstanding any
other provision of law.
(b) Securing Retired Allotments Against Unauthorized Use.--The
Secretary shall ensure that grazing allotments retired from grazing
under this Act are rendered reasonably secure from trespass grazing by
domestic livestock.
(c) Relation to Other Authority.--Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to affect the authority of the Secretary to modify or
terminate any grazing permit or lease in accordance with other law.
(d) Relation to Valid Existing Rights.--Nothing in this Act affects
the allocation, ownership, interest, or control, in existence on the
date of the enactment of this Act, of any water, water right, or any
other valid existing right held by the United States, an Indian Tribe,
or a State, county, or municipality, or a private individual,
partnership, or corporation.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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