Co-Sponsors of the legislation are needed in both the House and Senate to assist in the passage of these bills.

Following is the text of the legislation:

To preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service where there is a historical tradition of such use, and for other purposes.

Mr. RADANOVICH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service where there is a historical tradition of such use, 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.

This Act may be cited as the `Right-to-Ride Livestock on Federal Lands Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. USE AND ACCESS OF PACK AND SADDLE ANIMALS ON PUBLIC LANDS.

(a) National Park System Lands- Section 12 of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-7) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(c) Use and Access of Pack and Saddle Animals-

`(1) GENERAL RULE- The Secretary of the Interior shall provide for the management of National Park System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

`(2) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed--

`(A) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law;

`(B) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or

`(C) to create a preference for one recreational use for any unit of the National Park System, without consideration of the stated purpose of the unit.'.

(b) Bureau of Land Management Lands- Section 302 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(e) Use and Access of Pack and Saddle Animals-

 

 (c) National Wildlife Refuge System Lands- Section 4(d) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(5)(A) The Secretary shall provide for the management of System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

`(B) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed--

`(i) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law;

`(ii) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or

`(iii) to create a preference for one recreational use for any unit of the System, without consideration of the stated purpose of the unit.'.

(d) National Forest System Lands- Section 15 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1613) is amended--

(1) by inserting `(a)' before `Regulations'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(b) Use and Access of Pack and Saddle Animals-

`(1) GENERAL RULE- The Secretary shall provide for the management of National Forest System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

`(2) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed--

`(A) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law;

`(B) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or

`(C) to create a preference for one recreational use for any unit of the National Forest System, without consideration of the stated purpose of the unit.'.

(e) Issuance of Rules- Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue final rules to define the meaning of a historical tradition of use of pack and saddle stock animals on Federal lands for purposes of the amendments made by this section.