Making Public Lands Public Access Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 5, 2011

Making Public Lands Public Access Act - Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure, from amounts requested for the Land and Water Conservation Fund per fiscal year, that not less than the greater of 1.5% of the requested amounts or $10 million be made available for certain projects identified on an annual priority list to be developed pursuant to this Act.

Requires projects identified on such a list to secure, through rights-of-way or the acquisition of lands or interests from willing sellers, recreational public access to existing federal public lands that have significantly restricted access to hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · D–MT

Committees

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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May 5, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
May 5, 2011
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · May 5, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 1997 · Making Public Lands Public Access Act

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze S.901 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.901, 112th Congress: Making Public Lands Public Access Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/901

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-05-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s901/BILLS-112s901is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:18:08Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.901 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.901 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.901, 112th Congress: Making Public Lands Public Access Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/901

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-05-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s901/BILLS-112s901is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:18:08Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.901 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.901 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.901, 112th Congress: Making Public Lands Public Access Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/901

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-05-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s901/BILLS-112s901is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:18:08Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.901 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.901 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.901, 112th Congress: Making Public Lands Public Access Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/901

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-05-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s901/BILLS-112s901is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:18:08Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.901 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.