Congress backs scenic trail completion—no new land seizure powers.

What it does

This bill directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to complete the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail as a continuous hiking route within 10 years, establish a joint federal team to oversee the work, and develop a comprehensive plan identifying gaps and funding needs. The bill explicitly prohibits new land-acquisition authority or eminent-domain powers, and does not prioritize trail land purchases over other federal land acquisitions.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is straightforward: it mandates federal agencies to complete a named scenic trail using existing authorities, with explicit constraints on land acquisition and eminent domain. This is routine public-lands management legislation, not a tax provision, subsidy, or deregulation.

What the text implies

• The 10-year completion timeline is aspirational and subject to appropriations; if Congress does not fund the effort, the deadline is unenforceable and the bill becomes a non-binding directive.
• The bill's reliance on 'willing sellers' for easements may slow completion in regions where landowners are unwilling to grant access, potentially extending the timeline indefinitely.
• The comprehensive development plan (due in 3 years) may reveal significant funding gaps; the bill does not authorize new appropriations, so completion depends on future congressional action.
• Consultation with 'land-grant mercedes owners and users, acequias' (water-rights holders in the Southwest) signals potential conflict with existing water and grazing rights along the trail corridor.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill creates a public recreational asset (a continuous long-distance hiking trail) at no new cost to taxpayers (it is subject to appropriations and uses only existing authorities). Citizens gain access to improved outdoor recreation and conservation infrastructure. The bill contains explicit safeguards against overreach—no new eminent-domain power, no prioritization over other land uses—which protects property owners and competing public interests.

Named in the bill

Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of the Interior, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, National Trails System Act

Where it stands

2 cosponsors: 2 Democrats.

• Apr 10, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Apr 10, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

1 lobbying clients named this bill on 2 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $400,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 14 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 0% of bills with at least one filing.

Joe Neguse, the sponsor, reported $1,076,229 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• The Conservation Fund — $400,000 on 2 filings

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.