On June 10, Rep. Ryan Zinke, key architect of the original Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), joined House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) in introducing the Great American Outdoors Act 250 (GAOA 250).

The legislation reauthorizes and modernizes the Great American Outdoors Act, one of President Trump's signature legislative achievements from his first term, investing $1.9 billion over the next five years to address deferred maintenance across America's national parks and public lands while creating jobs, improving recreational access, and supporting rural gateway communities ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary.

As the 52nd Secretary of the Interior, Zinke helped construct and champion the original Great American Outdoors Act, which President Trump signed into law in 2020.

"The Great American Outdoors Act was one of the crowning achievements of President Trump's first administration and proved that conservation and economic growth can go hand in hand," said Zinke. "As Secretary of the Interior, I worked alongside President Trump to help build the foundation for this historic investment in our parks and public lands. Six years later, we've seen the results. Roads have been rebuilt, trails restored, visitor facilities modernized, and access improved for hunters, anglers, hikers, campers, and families. GAOA 250 builds on that proven success and ensures these investments continue as America celebrates its 250th birthday."

Since its enactment, the original Great American Outdoors Act has funded thousands of projects, improvements, and repairs across the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Education.

In Montana alone, GAOA has delivered more than $100 million in investments for public land infrastructure improvements, including road rehabilitation, water system upgrades, trail improvements, campground modernization, historic preservation projects, visitor facility enhancements, and countless projects in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

GAOA 250 would:

• Invest $1.9 billion over five years in national parks and public lands through foreign visitor fees, private donations, and onshore energy revenues.
• Restore campgrounds, trails, boat ramps, hunting and fishing access sites, and other outdoor recreation infrastructure.
• Support an estimated 72,500 jobs nationwide and generate $26.4 billion in economic activity for rural gateway communities.
• Strengthen America's $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy.
• Establish the new America's Legacy Restoration Fund to continue reducing deferred maintenance backlogs.
• Expand opportunities for private donations and public-private partnerships.
• Create dedicated opportunities for outdoor recreation and sportsmen's access projects.
• Codify President Trump's foreign visitor fee policy to generate new revenue for maintenance projects.

The bill will now be referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. 

Read the full text of the bill here.

Read the full press release here.

On June 5, Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) introduced the bipartisan Public Integrity Lands Act, alongside Rep. Ryan Zinke. The bill aims to protect public lands from being auctioned off through budget reconciliation, the legislative process that lets certain bills clear the Senate with only a simple majority. This bill builds on the Zinke led bipartisan Public Lands in Public Hands Act which bans the largescale sale or transfer of federal lands, and is endorsed by the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus led by Zinke, Vasquez, Simpson, Dingell.

Specifically, the bill would amend the Byrd Rule under the Congressional Budget Act to designate any provision authorizing the sale, transfer, or disposal of federal public lands as outside the scope of reconciliation, closing off the fast-track path and requiring a 60-vote Senate threshold instead.

“Public Lands belong to the public, period. There is a public, transparent process for disposal of land when it is in the public’s best interest and I have long opposed any attempts to circumvent that process,” said Rep. Zinke. “Any proposal involving the future of America’s public lands deserves full public debate, conducted in the light of day and with the highest level of scrutiny. This bill helps ensure that the public will always have a seat at the table when it comes to protecting our public lands.”

The Public Lands Integrity Act preserves existing tools for responsible land management, including valid land exchanges, local conveyances, permitting improvements, grazing, timber work, energy production, and other routine public land decisions. The legislation calls for any proposal to permanently sell or transfer federal public lands to go through complete congressional review and remain open to public input.  The bill strengthens accountability, keeps public lands in public hands, and safeguards the communities, small businesses, ranchers, sportsmen, Tribes, and families whose way of life depends on access to those lands.

Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the bill in the Senate. It is supported by a broad coalition of conservation, outdoor recreation, sportsmen, tribal, and public lands organizations, including American Rivers, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, The Nature Conservancy, the Outdoor Industry Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited, the Trust for Public Land, and many others.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Earlier this month, Rep. Zinke’s Allied Defense Sales Act, legislation aimed at strengthening American manufacturing by making it easier for allied nations to jointly purchase U.S.-made defense equipment while deepening strategic partnerships abroad. The bill is a continuation of Zinke’s work as Chairman of the Foreign Military Sales Task Force, where he has worked alongside the Department of War to modernize military sales, securing huge wins through legislation and executive order.

“America builds the best defense equipment in the world, and our allies need it to safeguard their – and our – people and interests,” said Zinke. “This bill helps cut through the bureaucracy so our partners can work together to buy American-made systems faster and more efficiently. That means stronger and more secure alliances, and more manufacturing jobs here at home.”

The bill is modeled after successful multinational cooperation efforts and focuses on helping groups of allied countries with similar defense needs coordinate joint purchases. By aligning demand across multiple partners, the legislation would help stabilize production and accelerate delivery timelines for American manufacturers.

Under the current system, many smaller countries face steep barriers when trying to purchase U.S. equipment due to the scale and complexity of the process. These hurdles can delay orders and create uncertainty for American manufacturers. The Allied Defense Sales Act addresses these challenges by creating a more flexible and coordinated approach for enabling multinational procurement, especially for partners in regions like Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, further helping generate more consistent demand for U.S.-made systems.

The legislation directs the Department of War to assess interest among allied nations, identify potential lead coordinator countries for joint purchases, recommend ways to streamline approvals and licensing, and increase the exportability of defense articles and services. It also explores ways to expand access to financing tools and accelerate sales outside traditional programs, ensuring American defense companies can respond more quickly to allied demand.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Read the full press release here.

On June 4, the FY27 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act and the FY27 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act passed full committee markup. The bills included $17,500,000 in community project funding requested by Zinke, including continued funding for the Noxon Bridge and Seeley Lake wastewater treatment plant. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Zinke helped craft both bills, which now head to the House floor for a vote.

“Montana priorities are front and center in these bills,” said Zinke. “These investments will improve water and wastewater infrastructure, strengthen transportation and public safety, support affordable housing, and deliver real results for rural communities across Montana. The bills also include key provisions to delist recovered grizzly populations, combat drug trafficking in Indian Country, modernize transportation systems, and support working families and seniors. All Montana priorities, and all issues I will be fighting to get in the President’s hands to be signed into law.”

See Congressman Zinke’s Community Project Funding requests included in the bills:

FY27 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act

• Flathead County, $1,000,000 – Lakeside Wastewater System Improvement Project Phase 1
• Flathead County, $1,000,000 – Bigfork County Sewer District West Trunk Sewer Project
• Lake County, $1,500,000 – Charlo Water and Sewer District Wastewater Lagoon Rehabilitation
• Flathead County, $1,500,000 – Evergreen Flood Resiliency and Groundwater Quality Improvements
• Missoula County, $1,750,000 – Lolo Wastewater Well Upgrades Phase 2
• Granite County, $1,750,000 – Granite County Clean Water Infrastructure Project Phase 2

FY27 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act:

• Ravalli County $500,000 – Ravalli County Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase II
• Ravalli County, $500,000 – Old Corvallis Road Repair Phase II
• Missoula County, $1,000,000 – Seeley Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant Project Phase II
• Butte-Silver Bow County, $2,000,000 – Critical Minerals Extraction Advancements by Montana Tech
• Sanders County, $5,000,000 – Noxon Bridge Replacement Phase II

Zinke provisions included in the bills:

THUD

Low Population Highway Infrastructure

Directs the Federal Highway Administration to ensure rural highway projects in counties under 50,000 residents receive fair consideration, even if they are not included in state transportation plans, helping small and remote communities compete for critical road safety and infrastructure funding.

Project-Based Rental Assistance

Provides $18.975 billion to renew housing assistance contracts for approximately 1.2 million families, an increase of $432 million over last year, ensuring continued stability for low-income households and seniors in rental housing, helping maintain stability in tight housing markets where rent increases have priced out many fixed-income residents.

Housing Market Support Staff

Directs HUD to closely monitor rapidly rising rental markets and dedicate staff support to communities facing housing shortages, helping local governments respond more quickly to affordability pressures. This gives smaller communities better access to federal expertise when rents spike or housing supply tightens unexpectedly. Zinke has consistently pushed for stronger HUD responsiveness to rural and mid-sized communities that often lack dedicated federal support capacity.

Rent Reporting for Affordable Housing

Creates a pilot program allowing on-time rent payments to be reported to credit agencies with tenant consent and privacy protections, helping renters build credit history and improve pathways to homeownership. This is especially helpful for working families and young renters who consistently pay rent but do not receive credit for it under traditional scoring models. 

Interior

Grizzly Bear Delisting (Northern Continental Divide & Greater Yellowstone)

Directs the Interior Department to remove recovered grizzly bear populations from the endangered species list within 180 days, reflecting population recovery and returning greater management authority to state wildlife agencies. Zinke has long been a leader on this policy, submitting multiple bills and report language on the issue throughout his time in Congress. This shift is intended to give Montana and other Western states more flexibility to manage wildlife conflict, protect livestock, and maintain balanced conservation outcomes.

Opioid Task Force

Requires the Interior Department to brief Congress within 90 days on efforts to restart a drug enforcement task force focused on combating opioid and drug trafficking in tribal communities. This responds to ongoing concerns about drug trafficking routes impacting reservation communities across Montana and the West. Zinke has repeatedly emphasized the need for stronger coordination between federal, state, and tribal law enforcement to address the opioid crisis in Indian Country. As Secretary of Interior, Zinke created the Joint Opioid Reduction Task Force and has continued to work to address this issue in his time in Congress.

Cottonwood Fix

Provides a permanent legislative fix to the Cottonwood court decision by limiting when the U.S. Forest Service must reinitiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to cases involving substantial new developments or changes to forest management plans. It will reduce delays that have stalled logging and forest management projects, address backlogs, and improve wildfire response and habitat management across Montana and the West. Zinke has previously introduced similar legislation in 2016 and 2023, both of which drew bipartisan and conservation support. Recently, this fix has passed the House in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (Farm Bill). 

National Wildlife Refuge Fund

Provides $16.2 million in funding to counties containing federal wildlife refuges to offset lost property tax revenue, helping support essential local services such as schools, roads, and emergency response. Half of western Montana counties contain National Wildlife Refuges and will receive funding from this program, helping stabilize local budgets that depend heavily on federal land payments.

Native American Ironworker Training

Funds workforce development programs that provide Native communities with training iron working as well as in advanced manufacturing and digital fabrication skills, supporting long-term economic opportunity and job growth for tribal members. The program was restarted in last years Interior appropriations bill at Zinke’s request.

Wolverines

Prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the Biden-era North American wolverine endangered species listing, following specific finding and maintaining current management approaches while further evaluation continues. This prevents unnecessary litigation and restrictions to occur in Montana’s timber harvesting forests. This prevents unnecessary litigation and regulatory uncertainty that can stall timber and land management projects in Montana’s forested regions.

CMR Bison Management

Prohibits federal funding for the introduction of bison into the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge, maintaining existing land use and grazing management practices in eastern Montana. This preserves longstanding grazing agreements that many local ranchers depend on for economic stability.

Read the full text of the Interior bill here.

Read the full text of the THUD bill here.

Read the full press release here.

On June 4, the FY27 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Act passed the House of Representatives. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Zinke helped craft the bill, and secured $4.8 million in rural infrastructure funding as well as multiple policy priorities for Montana ag producers. The bill now heads to the Senate for a vote.

"I’ve made it a priority to stand up for rural America and the people who keep this country fed,” said Zinke. “The funding in this bill will upgrade basic infrastructure in places like Columbia Falls, Libby, and Ronan and strengthen emergency communications. And I've made sure it cracks down on foreign ownership of American farmland and strengthens food safety protections because food security is national security. Montana Farmers and Ranchers produce a gold star product, and my job is to make sure they have the infrastructure, funding, and administration policy to back them.”

Congressman Zinke’s Community Project Funding requests included in the bill:

• Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, $187,500 – Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Emergency Comms 
• Flathead County, $2,325,000 – City of Columbia Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Phase 1 
• Lake County, $69,000 - Charlo Volunteer Fire Department 
• Lake County, $259,612 – Lake County Office of Emergency Management Communication Tower Replacements 
• Lincoln County, $1,000,000 – City of Libby Water Filtration Phase 1
• Lake County, $1,000,000 – Ronan Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade Phase 1

Ag priorities included in the bill: 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Provides $1.16 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to protect American agriculture from foreign pests and diseases, including High-Path Avian Influenza, New World Screwworm, and other foreign plant and animal threats. This funding supports rapid response capabilities and strengthens protections for American producers and food supply chains.

Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land
Strengthens oversight of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land by improving tracking systems and adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for reviews of agricultural land transactions involving foreign adversaries such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. This increases transparency and helps safeguard American farmland and food security.

Pulse Crop Health Initiative
Provides an additional $500,000 for research into the health and nutritional benefits of pulse crops, including dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans. Montana is one of the nation’s leading pulse crop producers, and this research supports market development and producer competitiveness.

Precision Livestock Management Research
Maintains funding for precision livestock management research focused on maximizing rangeland resources for beef cattle and sheep production while maintaining vegetation diversity, healthy soils, and resilient plant communities. This research is particularly important for western rangelands during fall and winter grazing seasons.

Semi-Arid West Soil Health Research
Maintains funding for soil health research across integrated cropland and rangeland systems in the semi-arid West. Research will integrate emerging sensor technologies and modeling tools to help producers better assess and manage soils while supporting public lands and livestock production.

Barley Pest Initiative
Increases funding for the Barley Pest Initiative to support research addressing major threats to sustainable and profitable barley production and utilization. Montana is one of the top barley-producing states in the country, and this research helps protect yields and strengthen agricultural markets.

Food Safety and Inspection Service
Increases resources for the Food Safety and Inspection Service to support frontline meat and poultry inspectors and strengthen state inspection programs. This helps maintain food safety standards while supporting livestock producers and meat processing operations.

Farm Service Agency Staffing
Increases overall funding for Farm Service Agency staffing, including county office staff, helping improve service delivery and support for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Read the press release here.

• Zinke Introduces 2026 Great American Outdoors Act 250
• Zinke-Led Military Sales Bill Passes House, Bolstering U.S. Manufacturing and Global Alliances
• Montana Ag Priorities and Over $4.8 Million in Zinke Requested Rural Infrastructure Funding Passes the House in the FY27 Ag Appropriations Bill
• $17.5 Million in Zinke’s Infrastructure Requests and Many More Montana Priorities Head to the Floor for a Vote

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